From left: Anne Lasimbang (PACOS), Anne Baltazar (ANAK), Jellsie Fung (PPTS), Jacqueline Lingham (CHILD) and Wong Fook Oi (PTS).
KOTA KINABALU: A collaborative council has been formed by five associations to better protect children’s safety in Sabah.
The Sabah Kindergarten Association, CHILD Sabah, Advocates for Non-Discrimination and Access to Knowledge, Partners of Community Organisations in Sabah, and Persatuan Perkhidmatan Taska Sabah signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for this purpose.
Association chairman Sonia Chin said the primary objective of the council is to advocate for the importance of child safeguards and protection in Sabah to ensure the well-being and future of children in the state.
The council aims to adopt a coordinated approach in developing and implementing policies to safeguard children, raise awareness, promote education, and foster a culture of child protection across the state, she said here on Monday (May 13).
She said the MOU, signed on May 6, came after Sabah was found to be among the top three states in terms of child abuse cases reported in the country.
“We seek to address this critical issue and protect the most vulnerable members of society. It is about time Sabahans stood up for the children of Sabah," Chin stressed.
"We must take proactive measures to protect our children, who are Sabah’s future,” she added.
She said the council would serve as a beacon of hope, a platform for change, and a unifying force in the pursuit of child safety and advocacy in Sabah.
