PETALING JAYA: While parents are primarily responsible for the safety of their children, support from the community is equally important to reduce cases of child neglect, say groups.
They added that with the law on protecting children already in place, it will only become more effective with strong support from the public.
Consultant paediatrician Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS said an urban living setting could have worsened the problem concerning child negligence.
He added there was no single cause of neglect, rather a complex interplay of the children, parents and community.
“Neglect of children can be due to parents decompensating – they are experiencing excessive stress at work or in the family; struggling due to a lack of social support (especially single-parent households or very young parents); struggling financially; and occasional mental health issues may be a cause.
“Factors within the community that contribute to the risk of child neglect include parental unemployment and lack of community support,” he said.
Dr Amar added that national policies which provide support for families in terms of economy and access to childcare are needed to curb the problem.
Childline Foundation executive director Datin Wong Poai Hong said not all households could afford childcare, hence, empowering the service sector for the needy should be a priority.
“Childcare sector in Malaysia, especially for the B40 and M40 income groups, was not affordable nor accessible. So, we have to fix this problem if we want children to be safe.
“The way to go is to empower and register more home-based childcare centres or playgroups and toy libraries that can be a safe space if parents need to leave their children,” she added.
In June, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Noraini Ahmad said that there were 2,277 cases of children in need of care and protection as of March.
She also said that in 2022, the total cases were 6,770, while in 2023, the number of cases increased to 7,532.
Concerns over child negligence arose as several cases have made headlines recently, including a case in which a 13-year-old boy was rescued after allegedly being left to sleep in the corridor outside his parents’ flat in Pasir Gudang, Johor, for four days.
The father of the boy was charged under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 at the Johor Baru Sessions Court, where he pleaded guilty.
Another case that grabbed the attention of the public was the death of autistic boy Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin last December, which resulted in his parents being charged under the same section of the Child Act 2001.
Zaim Ikhwan Zahari and Ismanira Abdul Manaf, both 29, pleaded not guilty after the charges were read out before Petaling Jaya Sessions Court judge Dr Syahliza Warnoh.
According to the charge sheet, the couple were jointly charged to have neglected him in a manner likely to cause physical hurt.
Children’s Commissioner to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said that the law for protecting children should go in tandem with societal awareness.
“There is no need for harsher punishment as the penalties in the Child Act 2001 are generally punitive and retributive in nature.
“However, firstly, parents and adults must be aware of the law and secondly, it needs to be enforced for it to have the required bite,” she said, adding that there was also a need for punishing parents or guardians for child neglect and publicising it, while creating a communal interdependence to curb the problem.
Be My Protector engagement and partnership director Roland Edward echoed the sentiment, saying that societal support would complement the existing law to protect children.
“The law alone will be more helpful with the involvement of the community,” he added.
