Yeoh calls for action against parents who neglect, do not vaccinate kids

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh today suggested that parents expose their children to danger be charged in accordance with the law.

She said this when asked to comment on the tragic death of a three-year-old in Langkawi, whose body parts were found two days ago.

“We have to address the root cause of this.

“If there is a need to charge the mother for neglecting (the child)…our Child Act is very broad… it gives the government the power to charge those who neglect or expose their children to danger,” she told reporters after launching the 2018 Telenisa Statistic report in conjunction with Women's Day in Kuala Lumpur today.

“It’s time to take child abuse seriously and that means charging those responsible. Otherwise, it will just be another statistic. We must not let this child die in vain,” she said.

Yeoh added that parents who do not vaccinate their children were also exposing them to danger and should be charged.

“We can use the Child Act. Let’s start using the law. We don’t have lack of law, we have the lack of using the law when it is needed,” she said, adding that she had called upon the Health Minister to look into cases of parents who expose their children to diseases by not getting them vaccinated.

The deputy minister also urged for the public to intervene and call the police if they suspect something amiss, such a the non-stop cries of a child.

“Adults and neighbours need to intervene and alert the police immediately (if they suspect something amiss) as the child may not be old enough to seek for help.

“As a government (lawmaker), I cannot go into every house. Therefore, the intervention from neighbours is important. You have to be the eyes and ears”.

The three-year-old girl, Nur Aisyah Aleya Abdullah, was reported missing last Sunday while in the custody of a married couple who then disappeared.

Her mother, Indonesian national Rosmaliah Samo, had gone to the couple’s house to look for the girl but was told that she had been given to be cared for by someone else.

The police picked up a 37-year-old man and his 40-year-old wife in Ampang to assist into the child’s disappearance.

Two days ago, the man led the police to a location where a skull and bits of hair was found. The police believe the body parts belong to Nur Aisyah and suspect that she had been murdered. - Mkini