CORONAVIRUS | Talian Kasih hotlines will remain open after the government reversed a decision to shut it down during the two-week movement control order period.
"Thank you for all your feedback. We would like to announce that Talian Kasih 15999 and Talian Kasih on WhatsApp 0192615999 will be operational again," the Women, Family, and Community Development Ministry tweeted.
In a statement soon after, its minister Rina Harun said Talian Kasih would be operating concurrently with the National Security Council's hotline, the latter of which handles questions related to the order.
Rina said Talian Kasih will be operating 24 hours a day as usual.
An aide to the minister had earlier told Malaysiakini that Rina was against the hotline being closed.
Earlier this afternoon the ministry had tweeted that Talian Kasih would be closed until March 31, and advised the public to call 999 or 112 for emergencies.
The Talian Kasih hotline allows the public to get help on various matters including domestic abuse, for counselling, and welfare.
The closure announcement was badly received. Former deputy prime minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail pointed out that Talian Kasih will be even more essential now that people are being forced to stay at home.
"Just because people are asked to stay at home does not mean they stop having problems, or that children don't go missing or that children stop being abused.
"In fact, prolonged periods of people being forced to stay at home could make Talian Kasih even more essential for people who are facing problems or facing depression," Wan Azizah, who was also former women, family, and community development minister, said in a statement.
The latter's former deputy minister Hannah Yeoh meanwhile, said the hotlines are important to target groups such as children, senior citizens, the disabled, and domestic abuse victims.
She said a temporary closure would never have happened when Wan Azizah was in the National Security Council, unlike the current all-male council.
Umno's Pengerang MP Azalina Othman Said had also asked for the current minister Rina to explain why the hotline was closed when the National Security Council had allowed for "online services" to continue. - Mkini
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