Staying vigilant: A child standing on the balcony of an apartment in Shah Alam, Selangor. — AZHAR MAHFOF/The Star
PETALING JAYA: New safety regulations are needed to prevent high-rise falls involving young children, says the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
Its children’s commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said recent cases involving the deaths of several children were preventable if proper safety measures were in place, as well as creating adequate awareness and enhancing enforcement.
This comes as yet another child died after falling from the 30th floor of an apartment in Bukit Jalil on Thursday.
“These back-to-back tragedies are not isolated accidents.
“They are preventable deaths that starkly expose the failure to implement essential safety measures in high-rise residential buildings.
“These children did not have to die,” she said in a statement yesterday.
On Thursday, a four-year-old boy fell to his death from the balcony of his 30th-floor apartment in Bukit Jalil.
On May 21, a seven-year-old girl died after falling from the 29th floor of a condominium in Puchong.
On May 17, a boy, aged two years and eight months, was killed after falling from the seventh floor of a public housing unit in Precinct 9, Putrajaya.
The Star had previously highlighted the dangers faced by children living in high-rise buildings and suggestions by child activists on how to better ensure their safety.
Farah Nini called on both federal and state authorities, including stakeholders, to implement measures to prevent further tragedies from happening.
Among them, she said, were enacting specific laws to enhance child safety in high-rise residential buildings.
“This includes making it mandatory for all apartment and flat units, including rental units, to be equipped with safety grilles or protective mesh on windows and balconies.
“Additionally, minimum safety design standards for child-friendly high-rise units must be established under existing building laws or regulations,” Farah Nini said.
Presently, under the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL), balcony railings of high-rise residential buildings cannot be less than a metre or 1,000mm high but local authorities can impose stricter requirements.
However, it is mandatory for window grilles to be installed in such buildings under the UBBL although it could be regulated by the building’s management or voluntarily installed by the owners.
Farah Nini said current child safety guidelines must be reviewed and integrated as mandatory requirements in all high-rise residential developments.
She also called on the local authorities to conduct regular inspections of high-rise residential units, especially rental properties, to ensure compliance with child safety standards and features.
“To all parents, while we push for reforms to take place, in the meantime, vigilance is key.
“If you live in a high-rise residence, never leave young children unattended and ensure safety measures are installed,” she added.
Social activist Datuk VM Panjamorthy lamented the lack of action to address safety of children in high-rise residential buildings, particularly those involving flats under the People’s Housing Programme.
Panjamorthy said he had raised the matter during a dialogue session with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) last October.
He highlighted concerns over the corroded condition of some balcony railings at flats in Sentul, especially the older one which are about 40 years old.
“The top of the railings may look fine but the bottom has been corroded due to weathering over time.
“A child leaning against the railing may cause it to come apart, resulting in a fatal fall,” Panjamorthy added.
He urged the local authorities to conduct regular checks on the condition of older high-rise residential building railings.
