KUANTAN - The Pahang government has established a Task Force for Monitoring and Regularisation of Childcare Centres to ensure the safety and well-being of children in the state.
The task force, which began operations in September 2023, comprises representatives from various agencies including the Social Welfare Department (JKM), local authorities, health offices, the fire and rescue department, and the Companies Commission of Malaysia.
Pahang Social Welfare, Women, Family and Community Development Committee chairman Datuk Sabariah Saidan affirmed the state government's commitment to preventing abuse and neglect in childcare centres.
"We are very concerned and attentive to issues of abuse and neglect of children in childcare centres.
"Therefore, we have taken early action by forming a special task force composed of various agencies such as JKM, local authorities, district health offices, the fire department, and the Companies Commission of Malaysia to ensure no distressing incidents occur in the state," she told Sinar yesterday.
According to Sabariah, only 114 childcare centres in Pahang are officially registered with JKM.
The task force has identified 71 unregistered centres, 19 of which have since been certified.
"30 centres have closed, seven have received warnings, one has been issued a closure notice, and 14 are under investigation," she clarified.
She said JKM is actively working to ensure that all childcare centres in Pahang comply with regulations and are registered in accordance with the Child Care Centre Act 1984 (Act 308).