THE Department of Social Welfare under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is mandated by the Child Act to protect all children in Malaysia. This broad mandate includes the rescue and protection of children in abusive situations, safe placement of these children and prevention of abuse in the community.
The past two weeks have seen the horrible death of two young children at the hands of abusive individuals. In the last week of December 2022, a four-year-old boy in Johor died due to serious injuries allegedly from physical abuse by five of his older sister’s friends. The child was placed under the care of his biological sister as his parents were in prison for drug offences.
On Friday, we heard of the case of a six-year-old disabled girl in Sarawak who was abused, killed and then stuffed in a sack before being thrown in the bushes. The alleged perpetrator is the mother’s boyfriend. The available information suggests that the mother was also abused or threatened by the same man.
These are just two of the many cases of abused children who failed to receive help in time. While there is a call to tighten the laws, it is also important to note that the legislation we have, the Child Act, is comprehensive and detailed, but our services are not. There are many children who are being failed by the system and society at large.
Abuse of children in Malaysia is not uncommon. Local studies suggest that at least 25% of children experience physical abuse and 10% sexual abuse. The rates are much higher in children with disabilities; international data suggest abuse among the disabled is three to five times higher.
The death of these children must not pass by without a response from civil society. It is important to review our services and public response. The following are questions and issues that need to be addressed.
1. What effective training programmes, targeted at parents and children, are in place for the prevention of child abuse?
2. Are the child protection teams (set up in 1992 under the Department of Social Welfare) functional and effective in community prevention programmes?
3. The Child Act stipulates that for persons living in the same household, it is mandatory to report to the protector (welfare officer) if abuse occurs in that household. Do families know this and is it being enforced?
4. The Child Act stipulates that neighbours have a discretion, and are encouraged, to inform if abuse occurs in their neighbour’s homes. Has this been adequately communicated to the public by the Department of Social Welfare?
5. Does the Department of Social Welfare proactively collect gender and disability disaggregated data on child abuse in the community? Is this shared openly with the public?
6. The majority of social welfare officers are trained in other basic disciplines, often with no relevance to child protection. Hence, they lack the expertise required in child protection. What plans are there to significantly and dramatically overhaul the Department of Social Welfare?
7. What initiatives does the Department of Social Welfare have to strengthen or establish an inter-agency child protection case and data management system?
8. What plans are there to synchronise the Sexual Offences Against Children Act and Child Act to make reporting mandatory for all types of child abuse and violence against children by the community?
Over the years, many of us have lobbied for a revamp of our Department of Social Welfare, which is grossly understaffed, lack the right professionals and hence is not able to fulfil its child protection role effectively. The way forward has been articulated many times, but not acted on.
Social welfare officers who are child protectors should be trained social workers. And we need a large number of them in the Department of Social Welfare – not hundreds but thousands. This single step alone may help reform child protection in Malaysia and bring it into the 21st century.
We therefore urge the Women, Family and Community Development Minister to expedite the Social Work Profession Bill through Parliament. This will enable the government to recruit people with the right qualifications to become welfare officers.
Perhaps the tragic death of these two children will be the catalyst to accelerate the formation of an effective children’s department that plays the child protection role that is so desperately needed.
1. DATUK DR AMAR-SINGH HSS (Child/disability activist and advisor for Nation Early Childhood Intervention Council)
2. DATUK DR HARTINI ZAINUDDIN (Child activist, Yayasan Chow Kit and Voice of the Children)
3. DR FARAH NINI DUSUKI (Child rights advocate and practitioner)
4. DATIN PH WONG (Childline Foundation)
5. NOOR AZIAH MOHD AWAL
6. MAKE IT RIGHT MOVEMENT
7. RD RAMESH PATEL (Pusat Jagaan Kanak Kanak Vivekananda Rembau, Negri Sembilan)
8. CATHRYN ANILA (Founder, Vanguards4Change)
9. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN
10. ASSOC PROF DR KAMAL KENNY (Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia)
11. WORLD VISION MALAYSIA
12. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY
13. END CSEC NETWORK
14. MALAYSIAN COUNCIL OF CHILD WELFARE
15. PUAKPAYONG, PERSATUAN UNTUK ANAK KITA
16. SYED AZMI (Child activist)
17. REPRODUCTIVE CADRE ON SEXUALITY EDUCATION & QUERIES
18. ANISA AHMAD (Persatuan Pengasuh Berdaftar Malaysia)
19. AISHA ZANARIAH ABDULLAH (Malaysian Child Resource Institute)
20. KASTHURI KRISHNAN (Child rights advocate)
21. YAP SOOK YEE (Child rights and empowerment advocate)
22. CRIB FOUNDATION
23. COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION INITIATIVE BHD
24. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE, PENANG
25. MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS
