KUALA LUMPUR: There must be a specific law to oversee the development of early childhood centres (ECC) in the country, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
The lack of a dedicated law, coupled with bureaucracy and inconsistent regulations among local authorities, among other factors, has allowed many unregistered day care centres to continue operating.
These were the findings of the bi-partisan Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) on Women, Children and Community Development, which was tabled in Parliament.
The committee chairman Yeo Bee Yin proposed that a specific law be enacted to regulate and develop the nation's ECC sector.
"Also very crucial is that the supervision and development of the ECC is brought under a single agency, such as the Early Childhood Development Authority, which is done by Singapore.
"We also recommend that a National Child Care and Early Child Education Council be set up to standardise the development of the ECCs across ministries," she said the tabling the PSSC report in Parliament on Monday (Oct 6).
Earlier, Yeo informed the House that government red tape was often cited as a reason why child daycare operators do not register their centres.
"It's very tedious and that is why many of them give up sometimes give up trying to register.
"This is why the rate of registered private day care centres and kindergartens is very low compared to the actual numbers in the country," she said.
She said tedious regulations result in unlicensed ECCs operating, risking children's safety.
Yeo also suggested that the government provide adequate allocation to assist unsubsidised and affordable child care centres to cope with high operational costs.
During debates, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man (PN-Kubang Kerian) highlighted that many children are separated from their parents as early as three months old when they are placed in childcare centres.
He linked such early separation to larger issues such as bullying and behavioural problems in schools.
He said such issues stemmed from the children not receiving enough parental love and guidance in their formative years.
“Parents only get a few hours each evening with their children, leading to a loss of parental affection and bonding.
“Based on Sayyidina Ali’s guidance, every child born is pure and shaped by their parents.
"The guidance cited that parents play a role in their children’s lives, such as playing with them in their first seven years, educating them in the next seven and befriending them in the following seven," he said.
Tuan Ibrahim suggested the introduction of mechanisms to strengthen parental involvement and love, alongside better early childhood care systems.
He supported the proposal for a dedicated law to oversee and develop the nation's ECC.
Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (IND-Muar) lamented the high number of unregistered child care centres in the countr,y which he described as a crisis.
He said that more than 75% of childcare centres in the country are unregistered.
“Out of three daycare centres, only one is registered.
"Helpers and nannies are the next alternative for child care,” he said.
However, he noted that the rising costs of hiring domestic helpers and nannies have become unbearable for most young couples with young children.
He said that registering a child at a day care could cost up to RM2,000 while it costs up to RM20,000 to hire a domestic helper as an alternative.
He claimed that many young professional mothers are quitting their jobs due to unreliable child care options.
