Dewan Rakyat passes Children and Young Persons Bill

KUALA LUMPUR: The Dewan Rakyat yesterday passed the Children and Young Persons ( Employment) (Amendment) Bill 2018 with the aim to improve protection for the group in employment.

Human Resource Minister M. Kulasegaran said the amendment to the Children and Young Persons ( Employment) Act 1966 was to ensure the labour laws of the country were in line with international standards especially the conventions of International Labour Organisation (ILO).

He also said since Malaysia ratified the Minimum Age Convention 1973 and Worst Form of Child Labour Convention 1999, ILO had rebuked Malaysia as the provisions and implementation of the Children and Young Persons Act were not in line with the principles of the conventions.

“Therefore, the act amendment is part of the holistic reform to the labour law landscape of the country,” he said when tabling the Bill for second reading at Dewan Rakyat yesterday.

In the winding-up, when replying to a question by Natrah Ismail ( PH- Sekijang) on children found working at Rest and Recreation ( R& R) areas at night, Kulasegaran said it was an offence as children are not allowed to work from 8pm to 7am.

He said for children involved in advertisements or any art activities, the employer should obtain licence for the purpose.

The Dewan will sit again today. — Bernama