CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN: Please ensure justice is done

By : D. PARAMALINGAM, Seri Kembangan, Selangor

I WOULD like to know what has happened to two unsolved cases involving two little girls -- Nurin Jazlin Jazimin and Sharlinie Mohd Nashar.

I can't help thinking that the preoccupation of the police with other issues recently has forced them to relegate these cases to the back burner.

Come Sept 17, it would be one year to the day since Nurin was kidnapped and murdered. The police have yet to find the person responsible for this heinous crime.

And it has been seven months since Sharlinie went missing. Have the police found her? The answers to these two questions is a big "no".

In fact, the police, quite understandably, probably decided to concentrate more on law-and-order problems associated with the March 8 general election than with finding the offenders or trying to solve these two cases.

The elections have come and gone. Nurin's murderer still remains at large. Sharlinie remains missing.

Now, the whole nation has been caught up with the mudslinging and power play between politicians, and Nurin and Sharlinie seem to have been forgotten.

As a father of two young children, I feel for the parents of these two young girls. I also constantly fear for the safety of my children.

Much as I understand the enormous strain under which our law-enforcement officers are working, I appeal to them to ensure that justice is done to Nurin and Sharlinie and those who care for them.

- New Straits Times

Children's Safety Still A Cause For Concern

By Ir. Ahmad Jais Alias

Not long ago, the nation was jolted by several incidences of children gone missing, but how sure are we that our children are safe from harm's way nowadays?

Instances involving the disappearance of innicent juveniles like Nurin Jazlin, Sharlinie and Asmawi were given prominent media coverage, followed by intensive public campaigns and efforts taken by the community in trying to locate them.

However, over time, they have faded from public scrutiny and seemed to have been forgotten.

Consequently, a recent workshop on Child Protection and Safety Rights organised by the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia’s (IKIM) Counselling and Training Centre served as a gentle reminder on the need to ensure that our children are safe and protected at all times.

Among the issue raised during the workshop session was the extent and comprehensiveness to which the Child Protection law is being implemented in the country.

Laws to protect children were enacted in Malaysia as early as 1947 via the Children and Young Persons Act, Juvenile Court Act 1947, Women and Girls Protection Act 1973 and Child Protection Act 1991.

FINGERPOINTING

In keeping with development, the Children Act 2001 was enacted on Aug 1, 2002, to provide comprehensive protection for children in Malaysia.

Also known as Act 611, it streamlines all the relevant laws pertaining to the care, protection and rehabilitation of children, including provisions for related matters.

Among the responsibilities outlined by Act 611 is the role and responsibility of parents and guardians in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children under their care, their responsibility of reporting child abuse cases and the establishment of Juvenile Court.

But how effective can the Children Act 2001 be, if follow-up and enforcement measures are found wanting?

Whenever something untoward happens to a child, we often we see a lot of finger pointing going round among the parties concerned.

CHILDREN AT PLAY ARE UNSUPERVISED

Parents will put the blame squarely on the police and the relevant government agencies for any mishap that befall their children outside of the home environment, arguing that ensuring public safety and security should be the responsibility of the authorities.

The authorities on the other hand, will put the fault on the parents and society at large, for their ignorance and indiligence in allowing the child to be exposed to the threat of criminal elements, in the first place.

Generally, voluntary bodies like the Parents- Teachers Associations (PTAs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), teachers and parents themselves have not been able to come up with a concrete plan of action that would ensure the safety and protection of children under their ward.

Just take a stroll in any playground or open space, inevitably we are sure to come across children left playing or loitering around, left unattended and unsupervised by the adults who are responsible for their safety and wellbeing.

Leaving children to their own devices is fraught with danger as it exposes them to potential threats and harm from undesirable elements.

CARELESSNESS AND IGNORANCE

Then there are parents who get so engrossed with their shopping that they are oblivious to the fact that their children are no longer tagging along behind them. Recall how often we hear announcements requesting parents to collect their lost and bewildered offspring at the customer service counters in shopping centres.

Such incidences only reflect the carelessness and ignorance on the part of the parents concerned.

Parents should realise that their children have been entrusted upon them by the Almighty, as such they should carry out their responsibilities to the best of their abilities.

Children have the right to receive love, care and affection from their parents or custodians, in addition to basic necessities like food, clothing and shelter. On top of that, they have the right to an education and spiritual guidance, in order to develop their human potentials.

SAFETY IN SCHOOL

But do all parents, especially those who are barely out of their teenage years, realise and understand all these things?

The question of children's safety in schools and daycare centres are often contentious. There seem to be a tendency for some parents to pass the buck to the school and teachers.

Such an attitude often cause misunderstanding between parents and teachers as to where their responsiblities towards the students should lie.

Teachers, who are already burdened by their Herculean workload, are now asked to ensure the safety of children in schools.

If a child were to get injured at school, these teachers face the threat of a legal action instituted by the child’s parents. This only serves to add pressure to an already emotive profession.

Thus, a better way to ensure the safety of children while they are at school needs to be looked into. The PTAs should play the intermediary in ensuring that children are safe whenever they in the confines of the school. But at home, the duty lies squarely on the parents’ shoulders.

The parents’ active involvement in PTA activities and school events would help foster better understanding between teachers and parents, and should be strongly encouraged.

COLLECTIVE AWARENESS

Another aspect that is frequently overlooked is that society at large, too some degree, is responsible for the general safety of children in their midst. This means that we should not turn a blind eye to the plight of a child who is in trouble, just because the child is not our's.

Thankfully, in light of the tragic disappearances, the spirit of public awareness on the need to look out for childrens' safety appears to be on the rise. NGOs, support groups and voluntary organisations of various nationalities have all jumped on the bandwagon in their effort to locate the missing children.

It is hoped that this is spirit of ‘togetherness’ is not a passing concern that would quickly dissipate once the episode has been concluded.

Ensuring the coordination between NGOs and members of the community must be one of the top priorities for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. Those from all levels of society and every individual within the community must be roped in to ensure the safety of children in their midst.

If we want to avoid such tragedy from recurring, every one of us must join hands and collectively be the ‘eyes and ears’ for each other, in our effort to ensure the safety of all of our children.

Towards this end, IKIM’s effort at organising the workshop on Children's Right to Protection and Safety is certainly a step in the right direction.

(The writer is a Fellow Consultant at the Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia’s (IKIM) Counselling and Training Centre)

- BERNAMA

Putting a face to the faceless

By CHIN MUI YOON

Using a fascinating blend of fine art and science, forensic artists can provide the crucial first step towards the apprehension of criminals.

THE Kampung Baru Molester, aka Catman. The kidnap and murder of eight-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jaziman. The kidnap of five-year-old Sharlinie Mohd Nashar, who is, heartbreakingly, still missing....

“Stranger danger” is especially terrifying when it is the most vulnerable members of our society that are victimised.

When, at the height of the uproar over the Catman, the police released an image of a suspect, levels of paranoia actually eased a little – it always helps to put a face to a faceless terror, after all.

In the case of the Catman, though, what the cops released was not a photograph but a composite, a drawing made by combining photographs of different facial features until they resemble the suspect.

A police artist would have spent many patient hours with eye witnesses, teasing out their memories of the suspect to produce that composite drawing. But to no avail, it seems, because there has been no sign of the Catman since the drawing was released to the public via the media in January.

Such are the frustrations of police artists, arguably among the lesser known yet more fascinating members of most modern police forces.

But their careers can provide great rewards, too.

Karen T. Taylor, one of the world’s foremost forensic artists – and the one who wrote the book, literally, on the process – has this to share about her job:

“As an artist, I have known the greatest possible satisfaction, seeing the tangible real life effects my forensic art has had. On many occasions there have been phone calls to say, ‘You know that drawing you did (of that paedophile or murderer or rapist), well, we got him’.

“What could be better than that?”

Arresting a suspect based on a drawing is just the very first step in a long process of putting together crime scene evidence and witness testimony that will eventually put a criminal behind bars. But that composite drawing can be a crucial first step.

Says Inspector Jimbai Anak Bala, of the Criminal Investigation Department at Kuala Lumpur Police Headquarters: “A facial composite helps narrow the scope of suspects for us,” he says. “A composite released to the media can draw in suspects. People who may have chanced upon the criminal but didn’t realise it at the time may also recall what they’ve witnessed.”

Indeed, in the United States, many high-profile cases have been solved with help of police artists. One such case was the 1993 abduction, rape, and murder of pretty 12-year-old Polly Klaas who was snatched, shockingly, during a slumber party.

Sketch artist Jeanne Boylan helped draw a composite of the suspect from descriptions given by Klaas’ terrified friends. When Richard Allen Davis was arrested six weeks later at a routine police stop, he strongly resembled Boylan’s drawing. (Davis is currently on death row in California.)

Says Taylor, “For the forensic artist, one image can literally be responsible for the recovery of a precious stolen child, stopping a serial rapist or murderer, or providing closure for the family who has lost a loved one to homicide.

“It is an awesome responsibility? and one that wears on the heart and soul,” she shares in an e-mail interview with StarMag.

Taylor knows a little something about that wear and tear. She worked for 18 years with the Texas Department of Public Safety in America, building up a global reputation, writing the academic text in her field, Forensic Art and Illustration, and even having a character based on her on TV’s forensic series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (for which she is a consultant).

A passion for faces
When the Chicago police department could not identify the decayed body of a woman discovered in a dumpster, they turned to Taylor.

They sent her the Jane Doe’s skull, a hair sample, and autopsy photos.

With the skull on a stand, Taylor worked over several weeks, layering on clay – according to a technique she pioneered in the 1980s that is now commonly used around the globe – until she could put a face to the nameless victim.

Crucially, she noted glue and metal bands on the victim’s teeth, indicating that the victim had worn braces.

From the 3D model, Taylor produced a 2D sketch that was aired on the TV programme America’s Most Wanted (along with images of the 3D model) and published in a publication for dentists. That turned out to be the vital link: A dentist recognised the victim as his 17-year-old patient Marlaina Reed.

Taylor’s work had a striking likeness to the photo of the murdered teenager that was eventually obtained.

The “Chicago Jane Doe” case is just one among thousands in Taylor’s portfolio.

“Depicting faces has always been my passion,” she tells us. “I drew faces in childhood, attempted my first facial sculpture in high school, and continued the obsession throughout college.”

Taylor’s fascination for faces led her to the School of Fine Arts at the University of Texas and then the world-renowned Chelsea School of Fine Art in London. She later worked as a portrait sculptor for Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, further honing her skills in sculpting faces.

But it was in law enforcement that Taylor found her calling, and ended up working for almost two decades as a forensic artist in Texas.

In 1992, she was honoured as a Texas Woman of the Century and, in 2002, the International Association for Identification awarded her the John A. Dondero Award for “significant and valuable contribution in the area of identification and allied sciences”. Her book, Forensic Art and Illustration, is used as a textbook by practitioners globally.

To become an artist of crime

In a multi-ethnic country like Malaysia, forensic artists must consider issues of race or ancestry, not because of prejudice but simply as a potential means of specific physical description, Taylor points out.

“In my forensic art workshops, I teach students to focus on facial shapes, feature forms, and skin tones rather than attempting to ‘place labels’ on people,” she explains.

“Racial prejudice may sometimes play when people give descriptions of members of certain ethnic groups. It’s the artist’s job to deal with appearances not labels.”

Taylor believes that the forensic artist must blend skills in the fine arts with science.

And that you must never stop learning, ever. And you learn not just about your own field but as many other related fields as you can if you want to be the best possible police artist, she explains.

“Artists should strive to acquire various skills to do this work well, depending on the specific type of forensic art they practice.”

For instance:

·To produce accurate composite images, an artist would have to know the subtleties of how memory functions and learn interviewing techniques.

·To produce an image of an adult based on the picture of him/her as a child, the artist would have to know how faces generally develop and grow, ie craniofacial development.

·To update images of fugitives who have aged requires knowledge of craniofacial ageing.

·Producing a recognisable image from a dead body that has detriorated requires an understanding of post-mortem processes and what changes happen to the face after death.

· Reconstructing a face from a skull is perhaps the most arduous of the forensic arts; it involves aspects of anatomy, anthropology, and dentistry.

Most importantly, “Forensic artists should be capable of empathy for crime victims, both living and deceased”.

Leaving the heartache behind

Taylor is often asked how she deals with the skulls and the gross morgue work in her career.

Her answer is revealing of how much empathy plays a part in the field of forensic art.

“It has been easier for me to deal with a crime victim who is no longer suffering. It has, at times, been far more difficult to work with the living who are still in great emotional or physical pain,” she says.

After two decades of witnessing at first hand the heartache victims of violent crime and their families experience, Taylor is drawing away from forensic art and returning to being a portrait sculptor.

She now works as an independent contract artist out of her studio, Facial Images, in Austin, Texas.

“I’ve spent the past 20 years doing artwork to help capture the bad guys. Now I intend to spend the next 20 years commemorating the good guys and girls!” she says.

“My intent now is to use the skills with which I was blessed to create facial images that document the intelligence, goodness, and joy that a human face can hold.”

Among many successful projects is her work with the advisory group that developed the content of a hugely popular travelling exhibit called Whodunit? The Science of Solving Crime created by the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History in Texas.

For all her success, though, nothing beats the satisfaction of knowing that her craft has helped apprehend a criminal or bring closure to a grieving family.

Karen T. Taylor’s website is karenttaylor.com.

- Sunday Star

Jenayah di Brickfields menurun

KUALA LUMPUR Polis menafikan kadar jenayah di daerah Brickfields di sini meningkat, sebaliknya ia turun tujuh peratus dalam tempoh lima bulan pertama ini berbanding tahun sebelumnya.Timbalan Ketua Polis Daerah Brickfields, Supritendan Azri Abdul Rahman berkata, pihaknya memang tidak menafikan jenayah masih berlaku di sekitar daerah terbabit namun dakwaan bahawa ia meningkat adalah tidak benar.

"Statistik menunjukkan penurunan, justeru, saya menafikan laporan yang mengatakan ia meningkat," katanya yang mengulas laporan bahawa indeks jenayah di Brickfields mencatatkan peningkatan.

Azri berkata demikian kepada pemberita selepas menerima replika kunci kereta baru pegawai penyiasat di Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Brickfields di sini semalam.

IPD Brickfields menerima 14 kereta Proton Waja 1.6 CPS bagi kegunaan para pegawai penyiasat.

Sementara itu, mengulas mengenai perkembangan kehilangan Muhamad Asmawi Jalaludin, 11, Azri berkata, polis masih gagal memecah kebuntuan kes tersebut meskipun sudah lebih tiga bulan kehilangannya.

Menurut beliau, kalau sebelum ini ada dua maklumat yang tidak membuahkan hasil, kini maklumat yang diterima polis adalah sifar.

"Selagi maklumat kami peroleh walaupun petunjuknya tidak kuat, kami tetap akan melakukan sesuatu. Tapi keadaan semasa tidak mengizinkan, kehilangannya terus menjadi misteri," jelasnya.

Muhamad Asmawi atau Awie dilaporkan hilang ketika pulang dari sebuah taman permainan berdekatan rumahnya di Lot 127, Jalan Permai Tujuh, Lembah Pantai di sini, 9 Mac lalu.

Kanak-kanak itu dikatakan dalam perjalanan pulang bersama rakannya dari taman itu berdekatan Flat Projek Perumahan Rakyat (PPR) Kerinchi.

Misteri kehilangannya sehingga hari ini telah memasuki hari ke-111.

- Utusan Malaysia

Doa dipanjatkan, Syukur dizahirkan

Sejak kebelakangan ini, adalah menjadi satu kemustahilan bagi saya mencedok keratan-keratan berita perihal samada Nurin, Sharlinie atau Asmawi untuk diterbitkan semula dalam laman blog ini.

Setiap hari meneliti akhbar, setiap hari jua saya dapati yang tiada langsung sebarang berita mengenai Sharlinie ataupun Asmawi. Berita perihal Nurin tentulah jauh sekali kerana ianya sudahpun dianggap sebagai satu peristiwa yang telahpun berlalu.

Tapi Sharlinie dan Asmawi masih tidak ditemui, dimanakah mereka? Ayah Sharlinie khabarnya sudahpun sampai di Tanah Jawa dalam usaha pencariannya, sejauh mana lagi beliau pergi pergi?

Malang sekali nasib ibu dan ayah Sharlinie, tercari-cari kesana kemari. Pasti sudahlah kehidupan mereka terganggu, terganggu yang amat sangat. Begitu jugalah nasib yang ditanggung oleh ibu Asmawi, menanti dan terus menanti entah sampai bila.

Mengenangkan nasib ibu dan ayah Sharlinie serta Asmawi, terdetik di hati saya yang nasib ibu dan ayah Nurin adalah berganda lebih baik dari mereka. Ya, Nurin telah diperlakukan dengan zalim sampai menemui ajal, tapi sekurang-kurangnya, jasadnya dikembalikan (dalam beg sukan) bagi membolehkan ibu dan ayahnya menyempurnakan jenazahnya dan tentu sekali menamatkan pencarian yang amat memeritkan, bukan sahaja ibu dan ayahnya malah sanak saudara samada yang dekat ataupun yang jauh, jiran-jiran, rakan-rakan serta perbagai pihak yang berusaha mencari Nurin dikala tempoh kehilangannya.

Yang pasti, Nurin sudahpun "selamat", tidak lagi menderita dari kezaliman.

Atas hakikat inilah keluarga Nurin sentiasa bersyukur walaupun pada asalnya peristiwa itu merupakan satu musibah.

Bagi menzahirkan kesyukuran ini, keluarga Nurin kerap sekali mengumpulkan sanak-saudara serta rakan dan jiran terdekat bersama-sama mensedekahkan yassin bagi arwah atau setidak-tidaknya bersama-sama berdoa selamat.

Majlis terakhir adalah pada hujung minggu lalu, dan saya seperti kebiasaan turut ada bersama dengan keluarga.

Jasni AJ

Bloggers keep up the search

By NAJIAH NAJIB

WHILE many think the search for missing children Sharlinie Mohd Nashar and Muhamad Asmawi Jalaludin has become a lost cause, bloggers in the city are still trying to find and return them to their parents.

But they can’t do it alone.
They need public help to continue to keep a lookout for the children for as long as necessary.

It is approximately 153 days since little Sharlinie, or Nini, as she is fondly known, went missing. Nini is five years old.

For 11-year-old Asmawi or Awi, who was last seen on March 9, he has been missing for 91 days now.

Blogger and ex-journalist Nuraina A. Samad (www.nursamad.blospot.com), said the bloggers’ efforts in materialising the Nationwide Urgent Response Information Network or NURIN Alert is far from done.

They are, in fact, coming closer to legalising the establishment of Citizens for Nurin Alert (C4NA), a body created to spearhead the NURIN Alert programme, she said.

“We’ve recently received support from several corporations for C4NA. Once we register with the Registrar of Societies, we will be open for membership,” said Nuraina.

Aside from Nuraina, C4NA consists of crime analyst Kamal Affendi Hashim (president), Jazlan Abdul Jalil (vice-president), Jasni Abdul Jalil and Nik Farez (secretaries), Wahti Mahidin (treasurer), and committee members Mary Kate, lawyer Stephanie Chee (East Malaysia liaison), Mohd Fadli (webmaster) and part-time researcher Hanizah Hashim.

“We’re ambitious. We’re go- ing to push the effort for as long as we can to help in rescuing missing children.

This is not a one-off thing. Our effort will help lessen the po- lice’s burden,” said Nuraina.

When asked if she believes that Nini and Awi are alive and safe, she said: “At this point, I don’t know what to think, but my heart goes out to their parents. I can only imagine their anguish.

“If Nini is alive, she is being kept somewhere. And it’s not impossible for a child to be kept in a house in the suburbs without anyone noticing. Who would actually take a second look at what goes on in a normal-looking house?” As for Awi, she said, if he was abducted, “we can’t rule out the possibility” of him being used for prostitution, pornography or drug trafficking.

As for police efforts in finding the children, Nuraina said it is hard to determine the police’s stand on the issue.

“There’s a possibility that they’re looking at the case as a lost cause and would rather use their manpower for other things. They may say they’re serious, but I’m not sure if they’re serious about being serious.” C4NA’s Hanizah (tembam.wordpress.com), believes the police should implement preventive measures of child safety rather than just “wait for a lead” in the in- vestigation.

“This can be done by holding talks to educate parents or training children on what to do if approached by strangers.

“But unfortunately, none of this is being done,” she told Malay Mail.

For blogger Jasni (nurinjazlin.blogspot.com), who is the uncle of Nurin Jazlin Jazi- min, he said bloggers are one of the most loyal groups who are still fighting for Nini and Awi’s rescue.

“The missing children’s case may have died down a bit with the public and the authorities, but bloggers are adamant in putting up posters of the missing children on their sites.

“The posters help to remind our blog visitors that the children have yet to be located.

Until they are found, the case will not be closed.” Sharlinie went missing after playing at the Taman Medan playground, some 200m from her home.

Asmawi, a Standard Five pupil of Sekolah Kebangsaan La Salle Brickfields (2), was reported missing on the way home from a playground near his house in Jalan Permai 7, Pantai Dalam.

Nurin’s killer is still at large.

- The Malay Mail

Bapa bimbang kes Sharlinie makin dilupai

KUALA LUMPUR 1 Jun - Ahli keluarga kepada Sharlinie Mohd. Nashar, 5, yang hilang berhampiran rumahnya di Petaling Jaya kira-kira enam bulan lalu, khuatir orang ramai mula melupakan kes tersebut.

Bapanya, Mohd. Nashar Mat Hussein, 29, berkata, perkembangan itu akan menyebabkan usaha mencari anaknya hanya bergantung kepada polis dan ahli keluarganya sahaja.

Ini kerana jelasnya, bantuan orang ramai terutama dalam menyalurkan maklumat amat diharapkan supaya anaknya dapat ditemui segera.

''Hari ini sudah 145 hari Sharlinie hilang tetapi kami sekeluarga tidak putus asa mencari dan berdoa dia selamat dikembalikan.

''Baru-baru ini pegawai dari Ibu Pejabat Petaling Jaya menghubungi saya memberitahu mereka masih menyiasat kes itu dan berharap saya terus bersabar,'' katanya ketika dihubungi di sini hari ini.

Sharlinie hilang, dipercayai diculik ketika dalam perjalanan pulang selepas bermain bersama kakaknya, Sharliena di padang permainan yang terletak kira-kira 200 meter dari rumah mereka di Taman Medan, Petaling Jaya pada 9 Januari lalu.

Sejak itu, selain polis, pelbagai pihak termasuk media dan orang perseorangan menghulurkan bantuan mencarinya tetapi sehingga kini usaha itu masih gagal membuahkan hasil.

Mohd. Nashar dengan nada sedih menyatakan mereka sekeluarga amat merindui Sharlinie.

''Sejak kehilangannya, kehidupan kami sekeluarga tidak seceria dahulu.

"Kami rindukan suaranya, tolonglah pulangkan kembali Sharlinie ke pangkuan kami," luahnya dengan penuh harapan.

Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Petaling Jaya, Asisten Komisioner Arjunaidi Mohamed ketika dihubungi menegaskan, pihaknya terus berusaha menjejaki kanak-kanak itu walaupun maklumat terbaru mengenainya semakin kurang diterima.

Beliau berkata, kes itu tidak pernah ditutup dan gerakan mencarinya akan berterusan sehingga pihak yang bertanggungjawab dikenakan hukuman setimpal.

- Utusan Malaysia