Stop keeping the young in jail due to red tape

I REFER to the report “19 year old in I.C. case freed after six months” (The Star, Aug .

Syabas to “Shelter Home for doing a commendable job in helping juveniles who are in prison waiting trial or who are serving sentences.

This case would have been unnecessary if the police or the courts had checked with the National Registration Department to verify the identity card information.

The court officials would also have done many a favour if they had cut short the various technicalities instead of postponing the case over and over again.

At the end of the day, the authorities must realise that we are putting lives in jeopardy just because of bureaucracy and technicalities.

It is traumatic for young lives to be put into prison for a whole six months, waiting for trial for not carrying his identity card! I shudder to think of this happening to my children!

Imagine, the fear, the stigma, the psychological effects will have on people!

Why can’t we put them in a special detention centre while awaiting trail? Why can’t there be counsellors who will be able to offer advice to parents who may have financial difficulty in raising RM1,000.

I urge the authorities to take a long hard look at our system and to do something to help these juveniles and other facing similar circumstances.



LAWRENCE YAP,

Cheras.