Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul said Parliament has a unique role in advancing children's rights, requiring coordinated action, political will, and laws that deliver practical impact. He made the remarks during the Symposium on Children’s Rights Legislative Reform held on June 9 at the Dewan Rakyat Parliament building [1, 2].
The event brought together lawmakers, policymakers, legal experts, practitioners, and child rights advocates from Malaysia and abroad to discuss legislative reforms. Attending the symposium were Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid, Ampang MP Rodziah Ismail, and Suhakam commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki [1].
Tan Sri Johari emphasized that protecting children cannot rest solely on one ministry, agency, or government level. "It requires coordination across institutions, collaboration between federal and state authorities and meaningful partnership with civil society, communities and families. Most importantly, it requires political will," he said [2].
He added that legislation must reflect the best interests of children and address pressing issues like child protection, access to education, documentation, digital safety, and social inclusion. "When we invest in their rights, welfare and development, we invest in the future strength, stability and prosperity of our country," he said [1].
The speaker stressed that the success of the symposium will be judged by the actions that follow, not just the quality of discussions [1].
The symposium represents a step to build a collaborative framework to improve child rights laws in Malaysia, with a focus on delivering tangible outcomes through unified political commitment and cross-sector cooperation.
