KUALA LUMPUR: The Welfare Department has issued a reminder notice against a childcare centre for alleged abuse, maltreatment and negligence of toddlers sent to its premises.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, in a statement today, said the centre was temporarily closed until the operator improved the facilities and quality of the services provided at the centre.
The ministry said checks carried out by the department on March 29 showed that the childcare centre did not comply with the Childcare Centre Act 1984.
"The ministry views seriously these claims, which have gone viral, suggesting that children sent to a childcare centre registered with the department were abused.
"As stated in the Child Act 2001, the ministry and the department will not compromise on matters related to the safety of the children sent to childcare centres.
"It is the responsibility of the operator of the childcare centre to monitor the work of the babysitters employed at their premises," read the statement.
The ministry added that the operator of the childcare centre should have lodged a report with the department immediately if the negligence of their babysitter resulted in the injuries of children sent to the premises.
"As for this case, the ministry is working closely with the police on their investigation into the childcare centre. We want to ensure children who are victims in the case are given justice that they deserve," the ministry said.
The ministry, however, did not identify the name and location of the said childcare centre.
The case came to light after a woman, believed to be the mother of a toddler who is a victim of the childcare centre's negligence, expressed her frustration in a social media posting on Facebook.
The woman claimed the incident took place in January this year. She claimed her 13-month-old daughter was left on the floor with a few other toddlers inside an isolation room at the childcare centre.
The woman also claimed there were bruises and bite marks on the hand of her baby girl. The woman claimed she was told by a 'teacher' at the childcare centre that her baby girl sustained the injuries after she was attacked and bitten by other children at the childcare centre.
The woman also claimed that the police had completed their investigation into the case.