KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri urged parents to send their children to childcare centres that are registered under the Department of Social Welfare (JKM).
The operation of such centres has been streamlined and is subject to technical conditions set by the Ministry of Health, the Fire and Rescue Department and local authorities, said Nancy during the question and answer session in Dewan Negara today.
“There were 1,080 unregistered (under JKM) daycare centres identified as of June this year. Of that number, 430 have registered and complied with the conditions to enable them to operate legally. The other 650 are in the midst of application,” she said.
She was answering the question by Senator Datuk Teo Eng Tee @ Teo Kok Chee on the action plan for childcare centres and the status of unregistered ones which had a negative impact, with some even resulting in abuse and death of the children under their care.
She also urged the cooperation of all parties, including parents and guardians, to report unregistered childcare centres to JKM, for the safety of all children.
Nancy said the purpose of reporting unregistered centres was not aimed at closing down such places and causing parents hardship but to clean up their operations and assist them in complying with the guidelines and registering the facility.
“The Ministry works closely with related agencies in every state through the one-stop centre (OSC) chaired by the Director of Social Welfare, on registration issues and to speed up the process,” she added.
She advised the public to refer to the registered childcare centre list at JKM’s official website at www.jkm.gov.my.
