Bantu-Bantu Malaysia has proposed an increase in staff at the Social Welfare Department as one of the measures to prevent the abuse of children.
The NGO said this in light of the case of Bella, which went viral on social media last year when a woman claimed that the teenager was scalded with hot water and tied up while under the care of welfare home Rumah Bonda.
Bantu-Bantu Malaysia founder Dian Lee (above) said there were Welfare Department offices in large cities that only had five specialised officers who were in charge of performing community service and overseeing childcare centres.
“Such a burden should not be allowed to continue, the government has to take immediate steps to address the issue,” Lee said in a statement yesterday.
Last week, Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim made three proposals to the government to prevent the recurrence of abuse cases, such as Bella’s.
Tunku Ismail proposed for the government to improve laws such as the Child Act 2001 to enable the Welfare Department to audit all existing approved childcare centres, as well as immediately shut down childcare centres not registered with the department, and take legal action against the operators or owners of any illegally-run organisation.
Lee, who is also a member of Muda, commended the prince’s proposals, adding that one-stop centres should be added for the registration of welfare and childcare centres.
“Currently, the registration process involves multiple agencies. The process needs to be made easier to encourage registration.
“Currently, there are only 460 home childcare centres that are registered with the Welfare Department,” she said.
Lee also called on the department to conduct background checks on applicants during the childcare centre registrations.
Improve Talian Kasih services
Lee in her statement also called for the improvement of Talian Kasih services, by providing the services of psychologists and paediatricians.
She claimed that a 2020 report stated that only 25 members had been operating the line in the year 2020.
“For the year 2020, from January to Nov 26, Talian Kasih had received nearly 90,000 calls or on average of 272 calls per day.
“Talian Kasih services need to be expanded to the entire country in phases by creating local stations to allow all states, including Sabah and Sarawak, to have more efficient services as well as to mobilise relevant agencies for enforcement,” Lee said.
She also called for the involvement of local community leaders and awareness campaigns on only choosing childcare centres that have been registered with the department.
Bella’s alleged abuser and founder of Rumah Bonda, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, was charged with two counts of neglecting and abusing the teenager.
The charges are under Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, which is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment or an RM50,000 fine or both. Siti Bainun pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Bella had allegedly sustained physical and emotional injuries in a condominium in Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur, between February and June 2021. - Mkini
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