Enhance Child Protection Laws Now Says Tmj

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Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim during his meeting with Rina Harun, Amanda Bissex and Khairin Nisa Ismail today. (Crown Prince of Johor Facebook pic)PETALING JAYA: Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim has called for child protection laws, such as the Child Act 2001, to be enhanced immediately.
“The enhancements should include aspects of childcare centre registration, accreditation, assessment, funding and monitoring to ensure all operators are operating legally with a sense of public service,” he said in a Facebook post today.
Tunku Ismail said such steps were important to ensure what happened to teenager Bella was not repeated.
Bella, who has Down Syndrome, was alleged to have been abused while in the care of welfare home Rumah Bonda. The home’s founder, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, 30, is now on trial on two charges of neglect and abuse.
Tunku Ismail also said that the condition of childcare centres around the country, starting with those in Johor, must be urgently studied and the findings made public.
On the enforcement front, he said the welfare department should audit all existing approved childcare centres and shut down those that were not registered or operating illegally.
“Legal action should also be taken against the operators and owners of illegally run childcare centres.”
He said he met women, family and community development minister Rina Harun, Unicef Malaysia representative Amanda Bissex, and Johor woman, family and community development chairman Khairin Nisa Ismail today to discuss the matter.
On Sunday, Rina welcomed Tunku Ismail’s offer to provide lawyers to help in the Bella abuse case.
She said his offer of his lawyers’ services to hold a watching brief for the ministry at the trial would be helpful in efforts to uphold justice for the teenager. - FMT

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