BANGI, July 23 — The government is planning to set up a special committee to monitor babysitters operating from their homes, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.

She said this would require all babysitters to register with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, which is also under her.

"We want them to register as it will allow us to monitor their activities. The planning for the committee is now at the inter-ministerial level,” she told reporters here after launching the 70th anniversary celebration of the Malaysian Youth Council today.

She said the establishment of the committee would take time due to the involvement of various ministries, including the police and the Attorney-General’s Chambers.

The committee was mooted following the death of several children while they were in the care of babysitters.

Earlier this month, the nation was shocked when police found the body of five-month-old Adam Rayqal Muhd Sufi Naeif in the freezer of his babysitter’s house in Kampung Nakhoda.

A post-mortem at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital revealed that Adam Rayqal had died due to head injuries caused by blunt force trauma.

The babysitter Noor Aqilah Abd Rahman has pleaded not guilty in court to abusing and attempting to discard the body.

The case will be mentioned again on August 13.

Last weekend, a 10-month-old baby boy died at the Sultanah Fatimah Specialist Hospital in Johor four days after he is believed to have fallen in his babysitter’s house.

Police have detained the babysitter to assist in investigations.