Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem says lowering the age of criminal liability is not the solution to prevent children from committing crimes and rehabilitation is required for it.
In a social media post, the Prosecutor General said that if the state can target children prone to committing crimes, it would be a worthy investment.
Noting that under the law the age of criminal liability is 15, Shameem said that this does not mean authorities should not take action against any children who are under 15 that commit criminal offenses.
He added there are mechanisms and systems in which punishments are given under such circumstances.
Shameem also said that children who commit crimes should not be punished but rather advised and rehabilitated to turn them away from crimes.
Highlighting that other countries do not punish children who commit crimes, the Prosecutor General said that if authorities jail every child who commits crimes, then it would create a generation of criminals.
The Prosecutor General's comments followed an announcement by the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusan that the government would propose changes to the law to lower the age of criminal liability from 15 to 12.
