THE establishment of the Children’s Development Department will be in done in stages and according to the sum of allocations received. 

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri said details of its establishment will be discussed with the Public Service Department and the Finance Ministry. 

She said the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry intends to set up the department this year but will have to plan it according to the allocation received as estimates show that it will cost a huge sum. 

“We can’t use all of our budget allocations either, but what is important is that we now have the approval and we can start planning and make proposals,” she told reporters after officiating at the Wanita Bangkit@KPWKM in Kuala Lumpur today. 

When re-tabling Budget 2023 yesterday, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced that the ministry will establish a Child Development Department under the purview of the Social Welfare Department to provide more comprehensive support services to children.

Among the reasons for the high cost of setting up the department was the need to hire more staff as the current workforce assumes many responsibilities. 

“The recruitment of more workers is to ensure tasks carried out are relevant and related. At the same time we have also issued new guidelines to officers so that they are efficient in carrying out their duties and comply with laws and standard operating procedures (SOP),” she said.

On the RM8 million allocated for one-stop early intervention sites for mental health and domestic violence, Nancy said the allocation was considered reasonable in the effort to improve existing equipment and facilities.

Nancy said a total of 16,950 women have benefited from MyKasih Kapital’s assistance and have run businesses since it was launched in 2021. – Bernama, February 25, 2023.