THE Penang government is giving serious attention to the issue of unregistered childcare centres, kindergartens and care facilities across the state.
Penang Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the care centres involved include facilities catering to children, senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PwDs).
“As of March this year, a total of 268 such premises in Penang have been identified as still operating without registration.
“To assist operators in obtaining legal registration, the state government has approved several special incentives, including exemptions for planning permission, reductions in land conversion charges, temporary deferment of enforcement action within a specified period, as well as other facilitative measures such as improvements to registration guidelines.
“This approach is aimed at encouraging more operators to come forward to register and comply with the safety and operational standards that have been set.
“I would also like to stress once again that a safe care system is no longer merely an option or a business opportunity, but has become a social necessity in today’s society,” said Lim (PH–Sungai Pinang) during her winding-up speech at the Penang State Legislative Assembly sitting in Light Street.
On the mapping of childcare centres, Lim said the Penang Women’s Development Corporation (PWDC), together with the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and the Penang Geographic Information System Centre (PeGIS), is currently developing a dedicated website to map registered childcare centres in Penang.
“The system will display information on childcare centres, including their locations, categories and other related details to make it easier for parents to conduct searches.
“In addition, the system will also provide a platform for parents to submit feedback regarding childcare centres as part of efforts to strengthen monitoring and ensure continuous improvements in childcare services.
“At present, the website is in its final stage of review before being launched for public viewing and access,” she revealed.
Lim added that, in a move to strengthen the implementation of gender inclusivity policies at the state level, the Penang government will establish a Gender Inclusivity Policy Steering Committee involving 35 state government departments and agencies, as well as both local councils in the state.
“The committee will be chaired by Penang State Secretary Datuk Seri Zulkifli Long, with the State Economic Planning Division (BPEN) serving as the secretariat and PWDC acting as the technical agency.
“This step is important to ensure that gender inclusivity policies are not merely documents on paper, but are genuinely embedded and implemented within the government’s service delivery system,” she said.
Lim also announced that the inclusivity agenda is being expanded to the PwD community in the state.
“To date, more than 44,000 persons with disabilities have been registered in Penang. The state government believes that inclusive development cannot focus solely on physical development, but must also ensure equal access for all segments of society.
“For this reason, the state government is studying the proposal to establish a PwD Action Council as the main coordination platform involving the government, non-governmental organisations, the private sector and representatives from the PwD community itself.
“The council will help identify gaps in areas such as accessibility, employment opportunities, public transportation, education and disability-friendly facilities so that the solutions formulated will genuinely meet the needs of the PwD community.
“We must move away from a welfare-based approach alone towards an empowerment-based approach.
“The PwD community requires not only financial assistance, but also facilities and an environment that enable them to live more independently, safely and with dignity,” said Lim.
Story by Riadz Akmal