Malacca govt to start legislation process for childcare centres - exco
The Malacca government will promptly initiate the legalisation process for childcare centres operating in the state to prevent further infant deaths in such facilities, said state executive councillor Kalsom Noordin.
In response to the death of an eight-month-old baby at a childcare centre yesterday, the exco in charge of women’s affairs, family development, and welfare said the process will focus on licensing, safety, and the backgrounds of caregivers.
The Malacca government will promptly initiate the legalisation process for childcare centres operating in the state to prevent further infant deaths in such facilities, said state executive councillor Kalsom Noordin.
In response to the death of an eight-month-old baby at a childcare centre yesterday, the exco in charge of women’s affairs, family development, and welfare said the process will focus on licensing, safety, and the backgrounds of caregivers.
Kalsom also noted that this is not the first of such incidents in the state, which highlighted the urgency of the matter.
“Many caregiving practices also need to be re-evaluated, including swaddling infants for sleep, which poses a danger to them,” she told reporters after visiting Major Mohd Fikry Amri Abd Halim, 39, and Sabrina Hakiem Zaini, who lost their baby boy, Muhammad Al Fateh Amri, at their home in Taman Kelemak Utama today.
Kalsom noted that Malacca has 137 registered childcare centres, with the highest number being 101 located in Melaka Tengah, serving over 20,000 children. Jasin has 19 centres catering to 300 children, while Alor Gajah has 17 centres serving 380 children.
She then said the Malacca Social Welfare Department has confirmed that the childcare centre in Taman Kelemak Utama is not registered and the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department’s approval for safety measures is still pending.
“However, it has already received support from other agencies such as the Alor Gajah Municipal Council and the Health Office. Following yesterday’s incident, two officers from the Social Welfare Department, accompanied by a police forensic team, inspected the premises at 3.30pm,” she said.
“We have never received any complaints about this centre, which had 10 children registered, including the victim who passed away yesterday,” she said, adding that enforcement actions, including closure, were carried out under the provisions of the Child Care Centre Act 1984.
Yesterday, the media reported that the couple’s baby was found unconscious with a bluish complexion and a bloody nose at the childcare centre. The child was then pronounced dead at the Alor Gajah Hospital.
A woman who worked as a caregiver at the centre was remanded for seven days to assist in the investigation under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder.
- Bernama
