2007 07: Malay kids most abused

The Star Online. Parliament. Wednesday July 25, 2007

MALAY children made up the majority of child abuse cases reported to the Welfare Department.

Parliamentary Secretary to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun told the Senate that the majority of the child abuse cases last year involved Malays (1,378), followed by Indians (248), Chinese (219), peninsular pribumi (1), Sabah pribumi (4), Sarawak pribumi (102) and others (47).

Replying to a question from Senator Tan Sri Dr Jins Shamsudin, she said that in 2005, Malay children accounted for 1,116 abuse cases followed by Indians (263), Chinese (245), peninsular pribumi (5), Sabah pribumi (2), Sarawak pribumi (109) and others (60).
Factors cited for the abuse include indiscipline at school, sex, negligence, emotional stress and that the suspect was drunk at the time.

They were part of the 1,999 child abuse cases reported to the department last year compared with 1,800 cases in 2005, she said.

Up till April this year, 173 child abuse cases had already been reported, she said when replying to a question from Senator Datuk Latif Tamby Chik who wanted to know the measures taken by the ministry to check child abuse.

Chew said that as a short-term measure, abused children would be sent to children’s homes for three years until they reach 18. – Bernama