KUALA LUMPUR: The Government wants to set-up a community childcare centre at all People’s Housing Project (PPR) flats under the Housing and Local Government Ministry around the country.
Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin described the setting-up of the centre under the National Community Policy as a form of community support system for residents of low-cost flats and avoid recurrence of incidents involving children falling over a balcony railing.
Adopting the volunteerism concept, Zuraida said parents at home will be given incentives to help and look after children of their neighbours when the latter are away at work.
“The centre will operate for three to four hours daily depending on the needs of residents at the respective flats and every parents enrolled as volunteers will be given incentives.
“The ministry understands the struggles faced by parents who can afford to send their children to day care centres while they are away at work or running errands.
“This has resulted parents asking their eldest children in the family to look after their younger siblings,” she said
She was speaking to reporters after visiting the Kota Damansara People’s Housing Project flats this morning, where Siti Nur Nadhirah Hairul Anuar, three, fell to her death from a 17th floor balcony around 7am yesterday.
“Apart from helping parents and avoid recurrence of untoward incidents, the ministry plans to nurture the spirit of helping each other and responsibility among the community via this programme,” she said.
Asked on the tragedy involving Siti Nur Nadhirah, Zuraida said building metal railing is not the only solution.
“To me, this is not the only solution and that we need to identify to root cause of the incident and understand the problem.
“Some parents could not afford to obtain daycare services, hence, we need to look into this matter,” she said.
It was reported that the victim was believed to have slipped from a plastic chair at the balcony of her house during the 7.10am incident.
The victim was alone at home at the time as her parents had left the house since 6am to sell nasi lemak in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam,
Her 14-year-old sister, meanwhile, went out at around 7am to send another sibling, aged seven, to a nearby kindergarten.