KUALA LUMPUR: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry revealed three deaths and 21 abuse cases through its enforcement actions on childcare centres.
Deputy Minister Datuk Seri Noraini Ahmad said the Welfare Department (JKM) had enforced a special guideline that allows authorities to seal or order the temporary closure of nurseries under police investigations.
“This special guideline will allow immediate and stern action to be taken especially in abuse, negligence and any cases that can cause danger to children or residents of the premises,” she told the Dewan Rakyat.
She said as of September, a total of 23 enforcement actions had been taken under the guideline.
This included four unregistered nurseries being sealed while nine were issued with temporary closure order.
“Of this numbers, three were linked to death while 20 were linked to complaints of abuse,” she said.
She said initiatives had been taken by the Welfare Department and the ministry to reduce the risks of untoward incidents at such centres.
This includes authorised officers conducting unannounced and periodic checks to ensure nurseries are in compliance with standards and law and advocacy programmes.
She said the 15999 Talian Kasih also allows abuse cases to be reported at any time.
Noraini said the registration of nurseries are important to ensure that the quality and basic standards are met and reduce the risk of negligence and abuse of children.
“Therefore I am urging all parties, including parents and the public to report unregistered nurseries,” she said.
She was responding to a question by Sabri Azit (PN-Jerai) on the statistics of abuse cases at nurseries nationwide and the measures taken to prevent such incidents.
