KUALA LUMPUR: In the wake of recent fatal cases involving children being accidentally left in vehicles, the Alliance for a Safe Community has called for systemic, technological and societal changes that protect children and support their parents.
Its chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said such incidents involved a momentary lapse with irreversible consequences.
“They highlight an aspect of modern life that we too often overlook – the dire need for work-life balance and the implementation of initiatives to protect our most vulnerable.
“At the heart of these tragedies lies the stark reality that the pressures of the workplace are encroaching more and more upon our personal lives,” he said in a statement yesterday.
His comments came following the incident in Ara Damansara, Selangor, on Nov 9, when a toddler died after being left in a car for more than seven hours.
According to the police, the girl’s mother, in her 30s, did not realise that she had forgotten to drop off the child at a daycare centre after she got distracted by some business transactions.
Lee said the Nov 9 incident, following hard on the heels of similar tragedies in the country, brings to the fore a critical issue that demands immediate attention – the delicate equilibrium between work responsibilities and family safety.
Both systemic change and personal vigilance are needed to prevent such heartbreaking incidents, he said.
“Firstly, employers must recognise the intense strain placed on working parents and offer supportive measures,” he said, adding that these include flexible working hours, remote work options and parental leave policies.
“The integration of technology can also serve as a safety net.
“Simple reminders set on smartphones, or more sophisticated alert systems integrated into vehicles, could act as critical prompts,” he said.
Just as essential, he said, are public awareness campaigns that “could disseminate best practices such as ‘look before you lock’ and keeping essential items like a purse or briefcase in the backseat as additional reminders to check for the child”.
On a governmental level, policies that protect child welfare should be reviewed and strengthened, Lee said.
“Regulations could mandate the installation of rear-seat reminder systems in all new vehicles.
“In our community-centric society, we can also lean on the ‘it takes a village’ philosophy. Neighbours, educators and friends should be encouraged to look out for one another, offering support or assistance when they notice someone struggling to manage their responsibilities,” he said.
Personal accountability must be underscored as well, Lee said.
“In the digital age, where distractions are rife, we must be resolute in our focus when it comes to childcare,” he said.
On Oct 24, a 16-month-old girl died after she was left inside a car at a university in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu.
The police said the child’s father had forgotten to drop the toddler off at the university’s daycare centre that morning.
On Oct 5, an eight-month-old girl died after being left in a car for several hours at the parking lot of a hospital in Kuala Lumpur.
Police investigations revealed that the victim’s mother, a doctor at the hospital, had placed her daughter in the rear passenger seat to send her to a nursery, but went straight to work.
On Feb 17, 2020, a nine-month-old girl reportedly died of heatstroke after being left strapped in her child seat in the back of a multipurpose vehicle for four hours at a complex in Indera Mahkota, Pahang.
The police said the victim’s father had found her motionless in the vehicle after he returned from lunch.
