KUCHING – The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM) has proposed appropriate punishment for abusers under the Children’s Commission Bill, to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in October.
Its minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that as the entity responsible for safeguarding the interests of children, the bill must be implemented effectively and in line with the Child Act 2011 (Amendment) 2016.
“We want them (abusers) to be given a severe punishment even though (the implementation of the law) is not under us. We provide recommendations to the relevant parties and it is essential that there is an understanding between my ministry and the commission so that there is no overlap.
“(For example) those who are found abusing should be punished with whipping but there are parties who do not agree, so the proposal we put forward is not reckless because we had held a comprehensive discussion,” she told reporters after the ‘Segulai Sejalai’ Family Love Tour Programme today.
Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001 provides for a fine of not more than RM50,000 and 20 years imprisonment for any individual, parent or guardian found guilty of abusing, neglecting and mistreating a child.
The media had reported earlier that the bill to be presented by the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Legal and Institutional Reform), Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, was drafted after various engagement sessions with stakeholders, knowledge exchange sessions and in-depth studies. – September 3, 2023