MP: Expedite setting up of agency for children

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh has urged the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to expedite the establishment of an agency for children.

Hannah (above), who is the former deputy minister of the ministry, said this is to ensure that the 30 percent children population in Malaysia is protected from harm.

"We have entered the third week of the movement control order (MCO) yet very little has been heard concerning childcare from the minister and her deputy apart from their promotion of #WanitaCegahCovid19.

"I urge them to ensure basic services involving children are given priority by the Welfare Department as most violations of children can be fatal if ignored.

"And the respective child protectors and psychology officers must be relieved immediately from other additional responsibilities imposed on them," Yeoh said.

She said the MCO brings along with it many consequences including the childcare arrangement for frontliners, urgent childcare arrangement for parents under quarantine, operations and survival of taska (kindergarten), domestic violence, and the feeding of hungry children, among others.

Yeoh said work involving the rescue of children and other related services would be affected as all of the Welfare Department's manpower would be mobilised.

She added that the Social Welfare Department has been severely overloaded with work and lacks the capacity to efficiently manage a broad spectrum of clients or issues namely welfare, children, persons with disabilities, senior citizens and the homeless. - Mkini