Children’s, women’s advocates, and social workers urge govt to table Social Work Profession Bill soon
A group of activists, led by consultant paediatrician and child-disability activist Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS and Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW) vice-president Amy Bala, is urging Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to immediately table the Social Work Profession Bill.
Their plea follows an announcement by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri that the Social Work Profession Bill will only be tabled next year, not this year as anticipated.
“This deferment of the Social Work Profession Bill is a major travesty. We have been waiting for 14 long years for this Bill to be tabled. Not one year, or five, or even 10 years, but 14 years,” said the group.
“Our child protection services are weak, and our welfare services lack professionalism. It is critical that we pass this Bill as soon as possible to upgrade our social services to a professional level, managed and run by trained social workers.”
Earlier this month, those involved in drafting the Bill told Twentytwo13 that Nancy was “determined” to get the much-anticipated legislation approved, which would finally give formal recognition to social workers in the country.
The group of 30 highlighted ongoing failures in Malaysia’s child protection services and stressed that social workers play a vital role not only in child protection, but also in supporting older persons, people with disabilities, youth, and minority and marginalised communities.
Both Unicef Malaysia and the MASW have strongly advocated for the urgent tabling of the Bill.
Robert Gass, Unicef’s representative in Malaysia, said in 2023: “Social workers hold the edges of society together. They protect children and families from violence, promote social justice, address inequality, and contribute to eradicating poverty. Social workers help ensure that no one is left behind.”
The group pointed out that Malaysia has managed to draft and pass other bills quickly, yet the Social Work Profession Bill continues to be delayed.
“We are currently lagging behind our Asean neighbours in areas such as social work, disability rights, and child rights,” the letter read.
In their letter, the group noted that neighbouring countries had passed social work legislation long ago, citing:
The Philippines, which passed “An Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines and for Other Purposes” in 1965.
Thailand, which enacted the Social Work Profession Act in 2013. Indonesia, which passed the Law of Social Workers in 2019.
The group added that Singapore regulates social work through the 2009 Accreditation System for Social Workers and Social Service Practitioners, which ensures professional accreditation and standards for the profession.
“We appeal to you, Prime Minister, to correct this failure and ensure that a meaningful Social Work Profession Bill is passed as soon as possible, even if it requires a special sitting of Parliament.”
They added: “All our advocacy to improve social services for children has been ignored. We look to you to act – not just as a prime minister but as a father and grandfather”.
The full list of signatories to the letter are:
1. Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS, consultant paediatrician, child-disability activist
2. Amy Bala, social worker, Malaysian Association of Social Workers.
3. Datin PH Wong, Childline Foundation & co-secretariat, Child Rights Coalition Malaysia.
4. Datuk Hartini Zainudin, Yayasan Chow Kit, Voice of the Children.
5. Sharmila Sekaran, Voice of the Children.
6. Jeannie Low, Play Unlimited.
7. Yuenwah San, disability rights advocate, The OKU Rights Matter Project
8. Wong Hui Min, president, National Early Childhood Intervention Council
9. Yap Sook Yee, advocate for children with disabilities, Persatuan WeCareJourney
10. Women’s Centre for Change, Penang (WCC)
11. Ng Lai-Thin, project lead, National Early Childhood Intervention Council
12. Tina Yap Li Yan, social worker and PhD (Social Work) student, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
13. Vaneezha Muniandi, executive director, Malaysian Association of Social Workers (MASW)
14. Yayasan Chow Kit
15. Sarawak Women for Women Society
16. Rizlan Ghazali, advocate & solicitor, Shah Alam
17. Professor Mary Marret and Dr Irene Cheah, Child Protection Subcommittee, Malaysian Paediatric Association
18. Asha Singh, social worker
19. PurpleLily Social Association, Kuching
20. Family Frontiers
21. Persatuan Untuk Anak Kita (Puak)
22. Women’s Aid Organisation
23. Pusat Jagaan Kanak Kanak Vivekananda, Rembau Negeri Sembilan
24. CSEC Network Malaysia.
25. Ju-Lynn Quek, country director, OUR Rescue Malaysia
26. Katrina Mariswamy, regional director of Survivor Care Asia, OUR Rescue Malaysia
27. Sabah Women’s Action-Resource Group (SAWO)
28. Dr Ling How Kee, social work educator, Sarawak
29. Hii King Kai, Methodist Pilley Institute, Sibu
30. Aisha Zanariah Abdullah, Montessori Association Malaysia
