PUTRAJAYA: A total of 61 childcare centres nationwide have had their registrations revoked for regulatory violations, out of 94 centres subjected to legal action.
Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the actions included 22 fines, five temporary closures, eight seizures, and one written order.
She said that some of the cases involved serious issues, such as child abuse, neglect, and placing children in unsafe situations.
"For unregistered childcare centres, we are taking legal action to close them down. Under the law, we have the authority to shut these centres down.
"We did not just address these issues, but also ensure that some centres comply with specific regulations, which grant us the authority to intervene or shut them down if needed," she said after launching the plaque registration for Taska Seri Kandi today.
Nancy also said specific guidelines for enforcement actions, including warnings and closure orders for childcare centres under police investigation, were issued.
These guidelines took effect on April 10, 2023, ensuring that swift and decisive action could be taken in cases involving childcare centres under investigation.
She said the ministry stresses the importance of ensuring that every childcare centre operating in the country is registered.
"We aim to reassure parents and the public that every registered childcare centre complies with the Childcare Centres Act 1984 and the Childcare Centres Regulations 2012."
The registered childcare centre plaque is one of the efforts and solutions to make it easier to verify a childcare centre's legitimacy status, in addition to checking the Department of Social Welfare's website at www.jkm.gov.my.
The registration plaque must be displayed or affixed in a visible location on the exterior of the childcare centre premises to ensure that parents and the public can clearly see it.
She also called on all parties wishing to operate childcare centres to register as required by law to further enhance parents' and guardians' confidence in the childcare services provided in Malaysia.
As of today, only 3,198 registered childcare centres have been recorded.