LEGAL POLICY

Cases of child abuse and neglect in Malaysia have become a big concern for the
community and the government especially. With parents having the main responsibility
in order to ensuring the safety of their child, are Malaysian community have acknowledge
and concern of the existing Child Act?

Child Protection Policy is a policy that includes a statement of the principles of child
protection in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child ( CRC ) and the Child
Act 2001. The Child Act is a Malaysia law which served to combine the Juvenile Courts
Act 1947, the Women and Young Girls Protection Act 1973, and the Child Protection Act
1991. This is because in order to fulfill Malaysias obligation under the United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, it was enacted partially.

This policy focuses on prevention, support, advocacy, research and development

services to protect the children. In fact, the Child Protection Policy has been made to
ensure that every child receives protection from violence, neglect, abuse and exploitation.
However, it retains the option of corporal punishment for child offenders. This is
important for awareness and commitment of all parties, including every member of the
community in the protection of the child.

The Act provided additional protection for a child offender especially in concern to
the privacy of the child. Only certain specified persons are allowed to attend the trial.
The trial for the Court for Children shall be in closed court ( in camera ). There now a
legal duty for the parents of the child to attend for the trial. The child also protected by
the contains provision from associating with adult offenders in prison or elsewhere.

But with a long list of other child abuse cases in recent years, the government is
looking towards making up a new Act which focuses more on addressing parental
ignorance of children to replace the current Child Act 2001. The new Act may impose a
heavier penalty on parents who found guilty of neglecting their kids and maybe serve as a
lesson to caregivers.

The National Child Protection Policy has been made in order to fulfill the objectives
by firstly increasing awareness and commitment of community to protect children as
shared responsibility. Secondly, creating a friendly ans safe environment for the children.
Thirdly, to establish child protection by encourage organisations related directly or
indirectly. Fourth, to protect every child from neglect, abuse, exploitation and violence.
Fifth, only suitable individuals that has been specified can deal directly with the children.
Sixth and seventh where to improve support services to handle the cases by increase
research and development to improve the protection of children.

EXAMPLE OF CHILD ABUSE CASE

Murder of Nurin Jazlin

Nurin Jazlin binti Jazimin ( 11 September 1999 - 16 September 2007 ) was an eight-
year-old Malaysian murder victim, who was reported missing after she had gone to a wet
market near her house in Section 1, Wangsa Maju, Kuala Lumpur to buy a hair clip on the
night of 20 August 2007. Based on the data, she was last being dragged into a white van
which the police were able to detect by looking for footage caught on a CCTV installed
nearby. Her parents made a missing report to the police and a search for her conducted
by several organisations including the NGOs and mainstream media in the subsequent
weeks.

On the morning of 17 September 2007, there was a brand new gym bag was left in
front of a shop lot in PJS 1/48, Petaling Jaya. The bag was discovered by the shop owner.
It contained an unidentified childs naked body which was stuffed in a fetal position.
Based on the police investigation, police believed that the body had been dead for more
than six hours before the discovery. Her rectum ruptured due to a brinjal and a cucumber
was found stuffed inside her genitals. It was confirmed that bacterial infection had
contributed to her death. Nurin Jazlins parents at that time was unable to recognise the
body as their daughters with the changes in her physical features. The child might also
was suggested to be a foreigner, as she lacked a scar which would be caused by BCG
vaccination. Her parents put a hope that their daughters might be alive and were the
victims of several prank calls from people. Later, it was proved that the body as Nurin
Jazlin through DNA tests.

Her body was later claimed by her family form the Hospital Kuala Lumpur ( HKL ).
On 21 September after the Friday noon prayers and she was buried at the Muslim
cemetery in Taman Ibukota, Setapak, Kuala Lumpur.

CONCLUSION

So in conclusion, this problem must be stop from spreading because it can harm our
peace and rationality . As a community that still strong with the religion and custom, we
need to stay strong together by educating our peoples and foster the spirit of love among
human.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://english.astroawani.com/malaysia-news/do-parents-malaysia-know-about-child-act-
2001-52587
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Act_2001
http://www.jkm.gov.my/content.php?pagename=dasar_perlindungan_kanak-
kanak_negara&lang=en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Nurin_Jazlin