Netizens Say This Bus Is Used At Roadblocks To Instantly Punish Traffic Offenders
Keeping up with the changing times.
By Tang Ruxyn — 04 Jan 2017, 03:03 PM
Recently a photo of a bus has been circulating on social media. It is an image of a modified bus that resembles the trial room in court.
It was alleged that the authorities will use this bus - a mobile court room (MCR) - to immediately conduct a hearing and proceed to sentence offenders, particularly those who have committed traffic offences.
There were also comments on social media that claimed that the government is going all out to "suck" money from the rakyat by using the MCR to collect fine.
However, others have refuted these claims, stressing that the court is not only used for the hearing of cases related to traffic offences but also used to settle many other legal disputes, be it civil or criminal cases.
On the other hand, many people have come forward to compliment the government for coming up with this 'new technology'. The truth is, the MCR has been around for more than five years now!
The Mobile Court Room Programme was the brainchild of the Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak, Tan Sri Richard Malanjum.
The first MCR started its operations on 15 March 2011 in Donggongon, Penampang in Sabah.
Following the successful implemented of the initiative in Sabah, Sarawak has also introduced the MCR programme in its state.
Those in the judiciary have said that this initiative has benefitted many people, particularly those in the rural areas in Sabah and Sarawak
Richard, who championed the idea of implementing the MCR Programme, said that the mobile court room programme has enabled justice to be more accessible to the rural people.
"Mobile court room is very popular in smaller towns without courthouses as it helps save travelling costs for the rural villagers to attend hearings in larger towns with courthouses," he explained.
Meanwhile, Chief Justice Tun Dato' Seri Arifin Zakaria said that the introduction of the MCR programme has strengthened the country's judicial system.
"It can certainly indirectly help the Judges and High Court Commissioners as well as judicial officers in the state to carry out daily tasks, especially when making decisions or orders in criminal or civil cases," Arifin was quoted as saying by New Sarawak Tribune.
While there have been speculations that the government has spent a huge amount of money on these MCRs, the authorities have continually refuted these claims
During the launch of the MCR programme on 9 May 2011, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Musa Haji Aman had said that the government has saved a lot in terms of costing since there is no longer a need to build expensive courthouses across the province and town in the state of Sabah.
He also revealed that the cost to build the mobile court only cost approximately RM250,000.
Richard has also previously revealed that the two MCRs in Sabah collected a total of RM313,885.00 with the operating cost of only RM 11,602.25 in 2015.