KUCHING, Jan 10 — The Attorney General’s Chambers (AGC) is studying the need to establish an Appellate and Trial Division Unit for Sabah and Sarawak to handle criminal appeals.

Attorney General (AG) Datuk Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar said establishing the unit is one of the several initiatives outlined for 2025 to develop the legal landscape and improve its services.

“We also hope that in the coming year, prosecutors will engage in lifelong learning by attending workshops, embracing new experiences and new technologies,” he said in his speech at the opening of the Legal Year 2025 for Sabah and Sarawak 2025 at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre, here today.

Mohd Dusuki also announced the full implementation of an online system known as “Modul Daftar Kertas Siasatan” (e-Daftar) in Sabah and Sarawak to ensure the smooth registration of investigation papers referred by all enforcement agencies to the A-GC.

He said the e-Daftar system enables enforcement agencies to register their criminal investigation papers online.

The e-Daftar system has recorded 455,170 investigation papers and is currently being used in 10 States, 161 agencies and by 391 deputy public prosecutors as of early December last year, he added.

Apart from being environmentally friendly due to the paperless approach, he said digital case management systems allow for efficient tracking of cases, from the initial investigation to the final verdict.

“These systems can reduce the time and resources required to manage large volumes of criminal cases, allowing prosecutors to focus on the substantive aspects,” Mohd Dusuki said.

Meanwhile, Mohd Dusuki also shared the plan to relocate and upgrade seven district prosecutor’s offices including in Lahad Datu, to provide a convenient working environment for legal officers.

Also present at the ceremony were Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, Chief Judge of Malaya Datuk Seri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abdul Rahman Sebli. — Bernama