KUCHING: A kindergarten allegedly linked to child neglect and inappropriate treatment has been advised to cease operations pending investigation.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the Social Welfare Department (JKM) was handling child protection matters and working with relevant authorities in the probe.
“JKM, through its child protection officers, is collaborating with the police and the District Education Office to collect relevant information and prepare the reports required for the ongoing investigation,” she added.
Nancy said the kindergarten in Langkawi, Kedah comes under the Education Ministry’s jurisdiction.
“We have advised the kindergarten to temporarily cease operations until the investigation has been finalised.
“We also urge parents to follow the police’s instructions to ensure the safety of their children,” she told reporters after visiting the Pending Jetty upgrade project here yesterday, Bernama reported.
She said the case is being investigated under Section 31(1) of the Child Act 2001.
Nancy said the kindergarten operator had been cautioned over matters involving the care, safety and welfare of children.
The operator had also been reminded to adhere to the required regulations, she added, stressing that appropriate action would be taken if any legal violations was detected.
On Friday, Langkawi OCPD Asst Comm Khairul Azhar Nuruddin said a former kindergarten teacher had filed a report over alleged improper handling of children at the premises, including claims of children being made to sleep on the floor without mattresses and being confined in a toilet.
He said investigations were being carried out to ascertain the validity of the claims, including through the examination of closed circuit television camera footage and witness testimony.
On the Pending Jetty project, Nancy, who is also Santubong MP, said the RM600,000 upgrading work is nearly 90% done and expected to be completed by Aug 24 as scheduled.
She said the project would connect Pending Jetty with her parliamentary constituency area in Kampung Muhibbah Seberang, with the remaining works involving the construction of two sections of the jetty and stairs measuring a total length of about 12m to 13m.
