KUALA LUMPUR – Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-BN) did not hold back in the Dewan Rakyat today as she questioned the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry’s commitment towards children’s welfare.
She referred to data from the Statistics Department that showed there are 9.24 million children in Malaysia, making up 28.3% of the total population.
Azalina pointed out that upon inspecting the ministry's website, there is no special department for children, but merely a division under the Welfare Department for minors.
This division, she said, is also tasked with matters concerning homeless individuals, the community, senior citizens, and the disabled.
However, only five officers exist in the division tasked solely with children matters.
“If there are five officers and there are 9.24 million children, does it mean one officer has jurisdiction over 1.8 million children?
“I would like to ask if the ministry plans to change this division to a special department for children (on its own) or push it to their duties to the Commission of Children under Suhakam,” Azalina said.
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Siti Zailah Yusoff said that her ministry has taken a few steps, including holding workshops where three phases of reform were recommended.
The first phase, Siti Zailah said, would involve strengthening the current children’s division under the Welfare Department.
Meanwhile, the second phase would involve restructuring the division, including the amalgamation of various divisions for adding functions related to children, as well as improving the grade status of the director of the division, and the appointment of additional officers.
“For the final phase, a Children’s Department will be established involving the amendment of legal provisions to centralise children matters.
“However, since it involves various departments and agencies, the ministry requires discussions before determining the timeline to establish the department,” Siti Zailah added. – The Vibes, November 2, 2021
