Groups: Make registry checks mandatory for hiring

PETALING JAYA: Child rights groups are applauding the government’s implementation of the Child Sex Offenders Registry but called on the government to make it mandatory for employers to check against the registry before hiring.

“It is absolutely wonderful that they came out with something like this. Protect And Save The Children has lobbied for such a registry for years and we are very happy that the government has come out with this,” said executive director Mariza Abdulkadir.

However, Mariza said the government should make it compulsory for employers to refer to the registry when hiring adults who work directly with children.

“Anyone who is looking to deal with children or work with children needs to have their background checked,” she said.

Mariza also felt the registry should not only be allowed to be accessed by those who work at nurseries, childcare centres and schools but for anyone who works with children, including in hospitals, social welfare and non-governmental organisations.

Voice of Children chairman Sharmila Sekaran said it was ideal if the government could make it compulsory for those who deal with children to check the background of individuals it seeks to hire.

But she said if access to the registry is difficult, then it becomes a problem.

“Some (Social Welfare Department) offices are not easy to get to and this may dissuade people from checking backgrounds,” she said.

Sharmila also lamented that it only registered those who were convicted sex offenders.

“Since sex offences are hard to prove and has a low conviction rate, the registry may not provide complete protection.

“This means if someone wants to employ a person and gets the allclear from the registry, employers may not be as vigilant.

“They must have internal procedures,” she said.

The Association of Registered Childcare Providers Malaysia president Norsheila Abdullah also concurred, saying it should be compulsory for employers to do background checks on a person.

“It is indeed important to make it compulsory, even by making specific provisions in law, to do a background check with anyone who deals with children,” she said.

In George Town, Rena Lim reported that Children’s Protection Society (CPS) coordinator Magdeline Leong said access to the child sex offenders registry would be able to help non-governmental organisations (NGOs) work better on cases involving children, and be more vigilant when it comes to hiring staff.

“We have no access to records of previous offenders. Only the Welfare Department or police has them.

“So we are all for it (child registry checks) as the disclosure would help us work better on cases involving children and in hiring staff.

“NGOs with access to this information can also act as watchdogs,” she said yesterday.

Leong said employers can also make use of the child sex offenders registry and choose whether they want to steer clear of offenders.

Meanwhile, state Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said the state supported it “in principle”.

“If the government thinks that it is a better law, we will accept.

“We do agree with and support this move in principle but we have to look at other mechanisms too.

“We also have to look at the Privacy Act and how it affects disclosure of these details,” he said.