Childcare abuse incidents highlight need for systemic reforms, says S’wak activist

KUCHING (Dec 31): Social activist Voon Shiak Ni has called on the Social Welfare Department to strengthen child protection measures at childcare centres, following a series of abuse cases that exposed systemic gaps in oversight.

Voon said such incidents are not isolated and serve as urgent warnings for authorities to reassess existing regulations.

“There have been quite a number of child abuse or negligence cases reported this year.

“One of the latest was in Negeri Sembilan, where a one-year-old baby died under the care of a nanny at an unregistered child care centre. A post-mortem examination revealed injuries to the child’s abdomen,” she said in a statement on Tuesday.

Her remarks follow leaked closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing a six-month-old baby being thrown, tossed, and roughly handled by a caregiver at a nursery in Taman Desa Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.

“This incident has sent shivers down the spine of all parents who entrust their children to childcare centres.

“One CCTV video is already too many,” she stressed.

She urged the department to go beyond reactive measures and implement systemic safeguards, including stricter registration guidelines and enforcement, and firm action against centres operating without approval.

“The department’s duty is not merely to register childcare centres, but to actively protect children who cannot speak for themselves. Babies need absolute protection,” she said.

Voon also called for enhanced pre-employment screening for all caretakers, including psychological assessments and checks for any history of violence or substance abuse, alongside proper accredited training on child care responsibilities.

To further safeguard children, Voon recommended the mandatory installation of live CCTV systems covering all caregiving areas, with footage retained for at least 30 to 60 days and accessible to both parents and relevant authorities.

“Any tampering should result in immediate licence revocation and legal consequences,” she added.

She also suggested more frequent unannounced inspections, while encouraging parents to act as the partners in monitoring safety at childcare centres.

Citing Children Statistics Malaysia 2025, Voon noted a 12.7 per cent rise in reported child abuse cases, excluding unreported incidents.

“I urge the public to participate in the prevention of child abuse and report cases in their communities, not just at childcare centres but at also at home,” she added.