Ministry to tighten law for better child protection

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Nancy speaks at the press conference.

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LUNDU: Efforts are underway to beef-up provisions under the Child Act 2001 to strengthen child protection in Malaysia.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister, Datuk Sri Nancy Shukri, revealed that amendments would be made to tighten the law to ensure better safety and protection of children’s rights.

“We are working to tighten the provisions so that the public and children can feel more secure,” she said at the launch of the ‘Child Protection Advocacy Programme’ at Dewan Serbaguna Mahligai Gading here today.

According to Nancy, the amendments which are currently in the discussion stage, are comprehensive steps to address the issue of child abuse, which has often been overlooked.

In this respect, she expressed concern over the rising number of child abuse and neglect cases, many of which have gone viral on social media.

She stressed that the public must not remain silent in the face of such situations.

“Children’s safety is the ministry’s top priority, and all of us have a responsibility to protect this group from any form of threat or harm,” she added.

She said the amendments, once approved in Parliament later, are also expected to improve the reporting system and follow-up actions in child abuse cases to ensure the response process is more efficient and effective.

At the launching of the programme, Nancy pointed out that it is more than an advocacy initiative.

She said it reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to ensuring children in the country enjoy their fundamental rights, including the right to live in a safe environment, grow up healthily, and be heard by the surrounding community.

“This Child Protection Advocacy Programme began in 2024 and has since involved 25 schools across Sarawak with more than 5,500 participants.

“This year, it is being expanded to 30 Children Activity Centres (PAKK) nationwide, highlighting the government’s determination to bring the message of child protection to the grassroots level,” she said.

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