Encouraged by the positive results of a pilot project involving 11 courtrooms, the government has decided to expand the e-judiciary project nationwide as soon as possible.
"We are studying the proposal for a nationwide roll-out, with a decision expected in March," Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said.
The electronic court system, an electronic government (e-government) application, aims to provide the judiciary and government agencies, such as the police, easier access to court documents.
Asked whether e-judiciary would help address the issue of some 13,000 prisoners awaiting case judgments, Nazri said it would.
"With e-courts and, later, video-conferencing, there would be no need for (the accused) to be in court so it will help reduce the number of postponements."
On Tuesday, Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow said of 33,600 inmates, remand prisoners and juvenile detainees, more than 20,000 were awaiting court mention dates while over 13,000 were awaiting court judgments.
There are three main components to e-judiciary: The case management system, the court recording and transcription system and a common information technology infrastructure which includes email and Internet services.
It also aims to provide easier access to judiciary services, increase the availability of and access to court information, reduce litigation costs and speed up cases.
"I believe time is of the essence and the sooner we have the system in place, the better, especially to help reduce delays and postponements," said Nazri.
The pilot stage was developed by Solsis (M) Sdn Bhd at a cost of RM27 million.
Nazri was unsure what the total cost would be once the project was implemented nationwide.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Shamini Darshni
Quelle/Source: New Straits Times, 12.01.2007
