GOVT APPOINTING 249 OFFICERS TO RESCUE ABUSED, NEGLECTED KIDS
KUALA LUMPUR: The government has appointed 249 people as assistant protection officers, as provided for under the Child Act 2001 (Amendment) Act 2016.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the officers would handle cases of abuse, neglect and those related to child care.
“The main concept of a protection assistant is to expedite the rescue of children who are neglected and in danger in their communities, as well as for the public to use the 15999 Childline to report on such cases,” Bernama reported her as saying.
Dr Wan Azizah, who is also women, family and community development minister, said this at the launch of the Child Safety Campaign (3K Programme) 2018 organised by Yayasan Wanita Islam.
She said the group, who met the criteria as stipulated under the act, had also been screened at the state Social Welfare Department level.
She said the government was committed to developing and implementing programmes and activities on children’s welfare under the National Child Action Plan, National Child Protection Action Plan and National Social and Reproductive Health Education Blueprint.
She said the plans were aimed at ensuring that every child received protection from neglect, abuse, violence and exploitation.
It also aimed to become a catalyst on the conscience and commitment of all parties, namely members of the community, to protect children.
In Kota Baru, Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said the ministry would discuss with the executive councils of all states its efforts to raise the minimum marriage age to 18.
She said there needed to be conformity in all states so that children could be protected.
Yeoh said the issue of underage marriage did not only involve Kelantan and Sarawak, but also all states.
“Based on statistics culled since 2007, there have been 10,000 cases of underage marriage among Muslims and 4,999 involving non-Muslims.
“This is a large number and is a serious problem.
“That is why the Pakatan Harapan government will keep its promise of raising the minimum marriage age to 18 from its present minimum of 16.
“Therefore, this issue needs to be raised in meetings involving all executive council members.
“It may take some time before we can settle the matter,” she said after the Yayasan Orang Kurang Upaya Kelantan Carnival 2018.