KUALA LUMPUR: There are 1,365 children seeking shelter, protection or rehabilitation with welfare institutions nationwide, says Datuk Aiman Athirah Sabu.
The Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister said these children are currently being housed in 39 institutions under the Welfare Department.
"To date, a total of 51 children have no identification documents compared with 158 children in 2022," she said when answering a question raised by Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang) in the Dewan Rakyat on Wednesday (Nov 1).
She added that the Welfare Department is working closely with the National Registration Department (NRD) to ensure that the affected children are issued with birth certificates before the end of their wardship.
Besides this, she said the ministry had implemented a pilot project last July to provide further education or employment for the neglected children under their care who have turned 18.
"There are currently 43 children who represent the first batch under the Anjung Sinar pilot project.
I urge the private and public sectors, zakat centres and non-governmental organisations to sign up as strategic partners with the project," she said.
On abandoned children, Aiman said that 156 cases were recorded between January and October this year.
She added that a circular was issued by the ministry last year as a guide on how to deal with abandoned children.
