The Social Welfare Department (JKM) in Perak recorded a total of 705 child abuse cases last year, with 306 boys and 399 girls among the victims.
State Women, Family, Social Welfare, Cooperatives and Entrepreneur Development Committee chairman Datuk Salbiah Mohamed said that as of Feb 28 this year, there had been 142 child abuse cases reported across the state, compared to 111 cases in the same period in 2024.
“JKM Perak takes these matters very seriously and prioritises all child abuse cases that are brought to our attention,” she told the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) during a question-and-answer session.
The question was raised by Norhaslinda Zakaria (PN-Pangkor), who sought information about the prevalence of child abuse cases in the state.
Salbiah also noted that in the previous year, JKM Perak had carried out 30 child protection advocacy programmes under the Kasih Kanak-Kanak initiative, in partnership with the Perak State Education Department.
Addressing the broader issue of child abuse, Salbiah emphasised that tackling the problem required a collaborative approach, rather than being solely the responsibility of JKM Perak.
“A coordinated, cross-departmental strategy is essential to achieve the best outcomes,” she said, stressing the importance of cooperation between various agencies.
She said this would include the State Health Department, District Health Offices, the police, the State Education Department, District Education Offices, the Registration Department, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and individuals who report cases of abuse.
“Only through these combined efforts can we effectively manage and resolve these cases,” she said.