PETALING JAYA, July 23 — With a ministry handling a portfolio as diverse as women’s issues, family, and community development, deputy minister Hannah Yeoh feels that children are getting the short end of the stick.

In order to solve wide-ranging issues from child marriages to unilateral conversions of children, Yeoh is setting her sights on first appointing a Children’s Commissioner as an independent, single entity answerable to the Parliament, but with children as its foremost priority.

"They’re like the guardian of children rights,” Yeoh told Malay Mail in a recent interview.

"Our current resources are not enough to protect children, otherwise we will always be forever fighting fire, like we are now.”

The DAP MP said her ministry is still looking at several models, either for the commission to be placed under the ministry, or under the Malaysian Human Rights Commission (Suhakam) itself.

She said it is important not to have the commission answerable merely to the minister or ministry, as issues affecting children inevitably involve more than one ministry.

Among others, the commission would be able to review any laws, not just those directly affecting children, from the eyes of the demographics.

"We just need somebody, like a guardian, to see it from the children's angles. Usually for other issues, we see how they impact the voters... but children don’t vote,” she added.

The suggestion for a Children’s Commissioner is not a new one. Former de facto law minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had suggested the same in May last year, following her visit to observe Children's Court in India and the United Kingdom.

Following Pakatan Harapan’s win in May, the first suggestion by the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) was for the appointment of the commissioner, which it said will encourage different departments to coordinate their efforts and promote better laws, policies and services for children.

More than 60 countries worldwide already have an independent commissioner for children and youth in place, Unicef said.

"I want the structure in place, before we talk about specific issues,” said Yeoh.

Yeoh also plans to empower social workers for children, and establishing a national register for approved child services and providers — with Australia as one of the role models.

"Anyone who has dealings with children, if you are a potential employer or parent, you can check. We want a register that is very comprehensive,” she said.

She also wished for a focus on a child’s mental care and well-being in dealing with traumatic events, and making data on children accessible.

Following her appointment, the Segambut MP has vowed to be the voice of children in Parliament, since children are incapable of upholding their own rights.