KUALA LUMPUR, July 15 — The government has been proposed to set up a special task force involving enforcement agencies to combat the crime of child abuse in the country.
Senator Datuk Ras Adiba Radzi says Section 31 of the Children Act 2001 should also be amended immediately to enable the perpetrators to be subjected to heavier punishments.
Ras Adiba, who represents Persons with Disabilities (PwD) in the Dewan Negara, said she views the escalating cases of child abuse in the country seriously, and that there should be no compromise on offences involving children, especially among the disabled.
“Strict action must be taken and the perpetrators of child abuse and mistreatment cases must be brought to justice.
“I urge the authorities not to compromise with any party suspected of being involved in child abuse and mistreatment which is a criminal offence under the Child Act 2001,” she said in a statement here.
Ras Adiba said the effort was also in line with the government’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 agenda, which also emphasised ending abuse, exploitation, human trafficking and all forms of violence and torture against children.
She said the Social Welfare Department reported that there were 2,040 cases of child abuse between January and April this year.
Ras Adiba also requested that the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development act proactively to ensure that children in the country are given priority in terms of care and protection.
She said all sections of society should play a serious role and report cases of abuse to the authorities, as this was a shared responsibility.
“We need to work together to raise a message that abuse is a crime. Children have the right to enjoy a peaceful and quality life. All parties must comply with the Child Act 2001 as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child which has been ratified by Malaysia in 1995,” she added. — Bernama
