PUTRAJAYA, June 10 — Finding the courage to enter a courtroom is a lot to ask of a child, even more so to ask them to testify or recount abuses, what more to identify the accused.

In those moments, a reassuring face can make all the difference. That is where Victim Liaison Officers (VLOs) come in, to help them take that first step through the judicial process by making the unfamiliar feel a little less frightening.

Under the Chief Justice’s Practice Direction No. 1 of 2025 on the Operations of the Mobile Court for Children, a VLO is a Judiciary officer or staff member appointed by the Chief Registrar of the Federal Court to manage matters involving the use of the Children’s Mobile Court in criminal cases involving child victims or witnesses.

Informally, VLOs serve as trusted figures whom children can turn to for guidance and reassurance during court procedures and testimony recording sessions.

“They are the intermediaries between the victims, their families and the court.

“But most importantly, they are volunteers,” explained Registrar of the Subordinate Courts of Malaya Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar during a recent interview at the Palace of Justice here.

According to the Registrar’s Office, there are currently 42 active VLOs nationwide — six men and 36 women — serving in courts across every state.

Mohammed Mokhzani said the role played by VLOs under the Children’s Mobile Court initiative reflects the Judiciary’s commitment to ensuring that access to justice is not merely promised but meaningfully realised for vulnerable children.

The small but crucial workspace where trained VLOs support children throughout the court process with care and compassion. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

You’ve got a friend in me

As provided for under the Chief Justice’s Practice Direction, VLOs are generally assigned to proceedings involving cases under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act and remain involved throughout the process.

On trial days, VLOs must be ready at least 30 minutes before the Vehicle for Meaningful Redress (VMR) — a specially designated van used to transport child victims and witnesses in criminal trials — arrives at a child’s home.

VLOs are then assigned to the Victims’ Nexus to Justice (VNEJ) — a specially equipped mobile child witness room — where they accompany child victims or witnesses throughout proceedings and keep them and their next of kin informed of the court process until the case concludes.  

G Ishwary, a VLO attached to the Shah Alam Court Complex, said she introduces herself as kakak (elder sister in Bahasa Malaysia) and in some cases as ‘auntie’, particularly when dealing with younger victims.

This simple choice of address helps create familiarity and trust over time, making it easier for children to open up in what can otherwise be an intimidating setting.

“We also do away with our blazers to be as informal as possible, making us approachable and comfortable for the victims.

“Apart from anatomical dolls, we also have other toys for them to play with to make them more comfortable during our interactions later,” she told Malay Mail.

VLO G Ishwary speaks to Malay Mail during an interview at the Palace of Justice. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

In most of the cases she has handled, Ishwary said child victims or witnesses often hesitate when asked to give testimony, with the process of helping them open up taking time and patience.

In these instances, this reluctance stems from the emotional weight of what the children have endured, making it difficult for them to speak about their experiences in court.

“So we need to ensure they are calm enough to give clear testimony because they are giving evidence via video conference and the court holding the main hearing needs to listen clearly.

“For example, when prosecutors tender court exhibits, we also need to make sure they understand and fully comprehend the content of the documents being shown,” she said.

As an active VLO since the Children’s Mobile Court began in July last year, Ishwary recalled one recent case that left a deep impression on her.

“I remember it was a case in Pahang, and the victim was raped by her stepfather.

“The victim, who is now 15, had already begun giving her testimony on the first day, but on the second day she was hesitant when attempting to describe the incident in detail, and the hearing had to be postponed.

However, when the hearing resumed on the second day, the stepfather pleaded guilty.

“We did not get to finish the trial, but it impacted me greatly because as a stepfather, he raped her not once but twice, and I felt for the victim because she was 12-year-old when it happened,” she said.

The interior of the VNEJ where a child witness or victim provides their testimony via video conferencing in a safer and less intimidating setting under the guidance of a VLO. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

As the Children’s Mobile Court approaches its first anniversary since inception, Ishwary said the VNEJ has been instrumental in safeguarding the welfare of child victims and witnesses, allowing them to provide testimony remotely in a more comfortable environment.

“If they have moved or lack the facilities to attend court, the initiative is very helpful, although they may need time to adjust to it.

“But as VLOs, it is a crucial role that allows us to help victims affected by painful experiences and support them through the process,” she said.

PUTRAJAYA, June 10 — For child witnesses, speaking about traumatic abuse experiences in a courtroom setting can be overwhelming and distressing, especially when they struggle to recount important details of what they endured.

Enter the anatomical dolls — seemingly ordinary playthings with facial features (including a retractable tongue), limbs, clothing and realistic body proportions, including private parts — used by the Malaysian Judiciary in child witness proceedings.

Though unable to speak themselves, these specially tailored anatomical dolls play a crucial role in giving child witnesses a voice when trauma, shyness or limited vocabulary makes verbal testimony difficult.

In almost all cases involving sexual abuse, Registrar of the Subordinate Courts of Malaya Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar noted that anatomical dolls tend to play their most important role precisely when language falls short.

“In a psychological course I attended many years ago, we were told that there are almost 80 different names for the male genitalia in Bahasa Malaysia.

“Sometimes children go to court with that knowledge (of euphemistic terms), like they refer to the male genitalia as burung or ‘birdbird’, but they don’t use the correct terminology, right?

“So, instead of explaining it to the court, they explain it by showing, which is what the anatomical doll does,” he told Malay Mail during a recent interview at the Palace of Justice here.

The anatomical dolls feature facial characteristics, including a retractable tongue, as well as limbs, clothing and anatomically accurate body proportions, including genitalia. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

Mohammed Mokhzani explained that prosecutors or judicial officers use the anatomical doll during interviews with child witnesses to indicate where a child was abused, either physically or sexually.

Describing a real-life example, he recalled handling a case involving a five-year-old victim sent to a nursery, whose molestation by the premises owner’s father was communicated through a brushing gesture made using the anatomical doll’s finger, indicating that she had been touched on her private parts.

“We ask the child what their abuser did, and then use the doll to help them narrate or describe their ordeal.”

The child’s account, conveyed through the anatomical doll, is then recorded as evidence and is admissible in court, he added.

While the use of anatomical dolls is not new, Mohammed Mokhzani said each Children’s Court — designated courtrooms that hear sexual offence cases involving children — in every court complex in Peninsular Malaysia is equipped with a full set, totalling five pairs.

Each pair is assigned to a specific age group and comprises both male and female dolls, representing infants, children, teenagers, adults and older persons.

Due to their importance in evidence-taking, he said anatomical dolls are a staple of the Judiciary’s Children’s Mobile Court initiative, with a set also kept in the Victims’ Nexus to Justice (VNEJ) — a specially designed van that serves as a mobile child witness room.

The VNEJ, which forms one of the initiative’s three components, is generally used in proceedings involving sexual offences against minors under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act.

Deputy Registrar Zuhair Rosli demonstrates how the anatomical doll’s retractable tongue works. — Picture by Raymond Manuel

*If you suspect child abuse, call the following hotlines for free and confidential support: Talian Kasih at 15999 or WhatsApp 019-2615999 (24/7); Talian BuddyBear at 1800-18-2327(BEAR) (noon-midnight daily); and One Crisis Centre (24/7) Wilayah Persekutuan at 03-26155555 (Kuala Lumpur General Hospital), 03-61454333 (Sungai Buloh Hospital) or 03-83124200 (Putrajaya Hospital).