Social Welfare Dept to continue overseeing child affairs in S’wak for now, says Fatimah

KUCHING (June 28): The Sarawak Social Welfare Department (JKM) will remain responsible for overseeing children’s affairs in Sarawak, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

The Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development clarified this arrangement would persist until the department officially transitions to the Child Development Department.

“The establishment of this department is a strategic initiative of the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) where each state is set to establish its own Child Development Department.

“Currently, at the state level, it operates as the Children’s Section under the Social Welfare Department pending the formal establishment of the new department,” she told reporters when met after presenting a paper at the 59th Annual General Meeting of the Girl Guides Association Malaysia here today.

Meanwhile, Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri highlighted the Child Development Department was established effective Sept 1, 2023 but remains under the administration of the Social Welfare Department for now.

She explained that amendments to the department’s structure, duties and legal framework were necessary and would be brought to Parliament to enable the department to operate independently by 2026.

The establishment of the Child Development Department aims to address child neglect and abuse effectively.

Meanwhile, earlier in her presentation Fatimah outlined her ministry, through the Social Development Council, focuses on addressing 14 critical social issues in Sarawak.

Among these are issues of drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, homelessness, poverty, aging, mental health, documentation problems, sexual crimes, domestic violence, and bullying.