KUCHING, Sept 7 2026: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri has said that 10,904 children nation-wide were recorded as needing care and protection in 2025.
She said another 6,266 cases were recorded as needing protection for the period January to June 2026.
“This development shows that efforts to strengthen the child protection system need to be implemented in an integrated and continuous manner, with the involvement of all parties including the community,” she said at the National Child Protection Team Symposium last night.
She urged the protection teams to continue to play the role of the “eyes and ears” of the community by identifying children at risk early, disseminating information promptly and strengthening advocacy and prevention efforts continuously at the community level.
She said the protection teams to further expand the advocacy programmes to areas identified as high-risk, including housing schemes, estate areas, Orang Asli villages, rural areas and other localities that require special attention.
Nancy said the protection Teams need to play a more proactive role at the community level in strengthening the child protection system through prevention and early intervention approaches.
She said the protection teams play an important role as the frontline at the community level in coordinating services for children and families, as well as connecting communities with relevant agencies.
She said they not only act when cases occur, but need to move more proactively through prevention and early intervention approaches so that every child can grow up in a safe and prosperous environment,” she said.
