KUALA LUMPUR: The Social Work Profession Bill will likely be tabled in Parliament this July, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
The Woman, Family and Community Development Minister said discussions are continuously held on the Bill.
“Our secretary-general and his team also discussed several matters. The scope of social work is very vast and involves several ministries.
“There are still several provisions to be included and we are targeting to bring it to Parliament in July,” she told reporters after launching the Social Services e-Learning System and Social Institute of Malaysia’s official portal here on Thursday (Jan 23).
The Social Work Profession Bill, delayed from being tabled in the last sitting, has been pushed by social work groups as important to specify the roles of social workers, ensure competence, and help bridge the shortage of qualified workers in the field.
Drafting of the Social Work Profession Bill commenced in 2010 and was tipped to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat last year.
Groups have since said the delay in tabling the Bill is hindering the regulation of the profession and the development of the necessary manpower to support the sector.
MCA information chief Chan Quin Er also said that the current lack of legislation allowed anyone to call themselves a social worker to carry out acts of service.
Separately, Nancy said she will be looking to discuss wage disparity matters with the Human Resources Ministry.
“It is not under our purview but we have to speak up on this.
“God willing, I will bring this up with the Human Resources Ministry during the Cabinet meeting,” she said.
On Wednesday (Jan 22), Nancy said women in Malaysia must continue voicing concerns over wage disparity in the workforce, referencing the Department of Statistics Malaysia’s 2023 report, which highlights the persistent gender wage gap.
The report revealed that female graduates earn approximately RM900 less than their male counterparts, despite holding similar academic qualifications.
