'Set up volunteer teams in housing areas to curb child abuse'

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has been urged to set up volunteer teams in housing areas to tackle security issues and provide protection for children.

Malaysian Muslim Consumer Association (PPIM) lead activist Nadzim Johan said the move could lead to a change in society’s attitude, making them more sensitive and concerned with their surrounding.

 He said it was time for the people to be “busybodies” to curb incidence of child abuse.

Speaking to Bernama, he said the volunteer teams could comprise young people to monitor and identify issues in their respective housing areas.

 The volunteers, he said, would be able to lodge reports on any untoward incidents in their areas immediately for action by the relevant authorities.

“We have to be a concerned society and to care about the surrounding we live in to avoid untoward incidents, including child abuse,” he said.

 He said this in the wake of a child abuse case reportedly recently in  Kampung Permatang Badak, Kuantan on a 10-year-old boy who died after he was allegedly abused by his biological mother.

Prior to that, on July 3, the body of five-month-old Adam Rayqal Mohd Sufi Naief was found in a refrigerator at his babysitter’s house in Batu Caves, Selangor. Nadzim also proposed that a requirement be made for all childcare centres to be installed with closed-circuit television cameras.

“Operators of kindergartens and child nurseries should install CCTV at the premises to allow parents to monitor their children’s safety while they are at work,” he added.

- Bernama