The changes and amendments made to the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) in 2010 were to resolve the backlog of cases in the courts, Chief Judge of Malaya Zulkefli Ahmad Makinudin said today.

Zulkefli said the amendments are to provide the concept of a “speedy trial” and speedy disposal of cases.

“This is to ensure that criminal cases are disposed of within the shortest span of time,” he said.

NONE “The CPC amendments in 2010 have introduced plea bargaining, pre-trial conferences, witness statements, case management and victim impact statements. The amendments also relate to alibi, discharges not amounting to acquittal and disposal of seized vehicles,” he said.

Zulkefli ( left ) said in 2007, the CPC was amended to allow laudable changes that included pre-trial discovery, clearly defined rights of an arrested person and search procedures that enforcement officers must observe with the accused persons.

“It also contained provisions removing the reliance on cautioned statements,” he said.

“All these amendments made are aimed towards enhancing our criminal justice system in line with the government transformation programme,” he said.

NONE Zulkefli noted that these recent amendments are included in the second edition of the book, Criminal Litigation Process , authored by Baljit Singh Sidhu ( right ), which he launched today.

The Chief Judge of Malaya admitted that there could be some shortcomings in the administration of criminal justice.

He called on all stakeholders to work together to find workable solutions.

Baljit, the author, said the law was a living thing that responded to changes in its environment.

“It accommodates development and rejects the obsolete. The criminal justice system is a living instrument and we must be relevant and kept relevant, thus this second edition.”

He said he came out with the second edition of the book following the amendments to the CPC.

“All these have been incorporated in the second edition to make criminal procedure and evidence lucid and accessible,” he said.

Police keeping up with the times

Meanwhile, Selangor police chief Tun Hisan Tun Hamzah said the development of law was a continuous process and in keeping with the needs and changes in society.

“Likewise, the police force has also made constructive changes from time to time in line with the development of the law, in particular the rights of an arrested person under section 28A of the CPC.”

“Conflicts are bound to arise from time to time, but it is important to keep an open mind and to remind all interested parties to sit down to find a solution and work towards a better Malaysia,” Tun Hisan said.