Increase efforts such as Child Protection Task Force to fight child abuse.

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Central Government and all State Governments to increase the efforts such as having Child Protection Task Force and Educational Programmes to deal with the crisis of abusing, killing and abandoning of children and babies.

On 29 March, 2010, the House put my question on the abuse of babies at number 60 out of 73. This shows that Women, Family and Societal Development Ministry has its own priority. Next time, we hope that the ministry will request that this type of question is scheduled as number one.

According to the Welfare Department, between 2000 until 2009, the number of child abuse cases was 15,968. In the same period, the Royal Malaysian Police recorded 815 cases of abandoned babies, 382 was still alive and 433 dead.

Last week, it was reported that a dead baby was found abandoned in Petaling Jaya Selatan; it was held in a dog's mouth.

Our society must find effective ways to deal with such a crisis including the awareness of its causes. The Welfare Department quotes several factors resulting in child abuses such as pressure at work, the behaviour of children and babies, financial problems, family crisis and the lack of religious education.

The factors that lead to the killing and abandoning of babies include pregnancy out of wedlock, lack of family support and lack of education on human values.

Besides National Children Policy and Child Protection Policy, effective measures such as forming Child Protection Task Force and promoting education on human values must be stepped up.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw