Malaysia should seize the opportunity to push for profound reform and increase investment in child protection in light of the recent Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) scandal.
The increased investment includes the tabling of the long-awaited Social Work Profession Bill, says Unicef Malaysia Chief of Child Protection, Saskia Blume.
“We’ve seen in so many countries around the world where there was increased investment in child protection on the back of a big scandal like what we’re seeing in Malaysia, unfortunately,” Blume said in response to a question from Twentytwo13 on whether the existence of the Bill would have led to better oversight.
“So yes, it’s time to seize the moment. This scandal has revealed one of the many aspects of what can happen to children, but it’s time for comprehensive care reform, and the Social Work Bill is part and parcel of this.
“In Malaysia and other countries, there are thousands of children who live in institutions – orphanages or welfare homes – that are not registered, regulated, or monitored.”
On Sept 11, police raided 20 homes believed to be linked to GISBH and rescued 402 children, including teenagers, suspected of being victims of abuse and sexual exploitation, including sodomy. Over the following days, more children were rescued nationwide, bringing the total to 572.
Police have said the children who were rescued were told they were orphans, when in fact many of them were the children of GISBH members. In one case, a GISBH member was said to have sent 32 of his 34 children to welfare homes linked to the company, where they were raised, believing they were orphans.
Blume said some families in Malaysia make heartbreaking decisions to send their children to these institutions for economic reasons, or because they are unable to care for children with disabilities.
“In Malaysia, we have a strong professional social workforce who could work with families early on,” she said during a roundtable session titled ‘Social Work in Malaysia: The Bill and Its Impact’, today.
“With the (Social Work Profession) Bill, we can do so much more in terms of preventing and strengthening families before something happens, thereby reducing the number of children in these institutions.
“If we can connect these families to the right services, they don’t have to separate from their children and make this heart-wrenching decision to send them away.”
The Bill’s importance is underscored by the needs of Malaysia’s most at-risk populations, including one in 20 children, and one in 10 adults living with disabilities.
Between 2020 and 2022, the Department of Social Welfare recorded 18,750 child abuse cases, while the National Mental Health Crisis Line or HEAL, received 24,346 calls from Jan to Aug 2023.
“Social workers are the unsung heroes on the frontline of child protection. Adequate funding for the social service workforce is crucial to ensure that social workers can effectively protect children and their families from falling through the cracks.
“The Bill is not just about the ‘professionalisation’ of social work. It’s about investing in the well-being of our most vulnerable citizens – children,” said Blume.
Malaysia continues to lag behind its regional neighbours in recognising social work as a profession.
Countries like the Philippines (since 1965), Singapore (2009), Thailand (2013), and Indonesia (2019) have enacted laws and policies to professionalise social work, enhancing support for their social service workforce.
Malaysia’s social worker-to-population ratio stands at 1:8,576, far behind Singapore’s 1:3,448 and Australia’s 1:1,040.
As Malaysia prepares to take on the Asean Chairmanship in 2025, tabling the Social Work Profession Bill, in development since 2010, would demonstrate its commitment to the 2020 Hanoi Declaration and Roadmap, which promotes the professionalisation of social work across the region.
Investing in social work would be an investment in child protection and improve well-being and social justice for families, the elderly, and those living in poverty.
Subang MP Wong Chen, one of the panellists at the roundtable session, said Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri should take advantage of Malaysia’s Asean Chairmanship to engage and learn from Thailand and the Philippines.
“The chairmanship is only for a one-year period, and it would be difficult to navigate with limited resources,” said Wong.
“Most policy changes take five to seven years. We don’t have the time, but we can learn how our neighbours implemented their laws. The Bill is not a silver bullet that solves everything, but it is a start.”
Another panellist, Malaysian Association of Social Workers president Dr Teoh Ai Hua, said the Bill represents a shift towards strengthening the systems that protect women and children in Malaysia.
“Social workers play a crucial role in promoting well-being and addressing social challenges,” said Teoh.
He said social workers were essential not only in social welfare, schools, health, and justice sectors but also in community development and policy formulation, where their professional values and expertise make a significant impact.
“Tabling this Bill will help bridge the gaps in these vital services and support Malaysia’s broader development programme,” Teoh added.
Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) acting executive director Nazreen Nizam said while the tabling of the Bill may not solve all outstanding problems overnight, it will set the mechanism of reporting in place.
“Social workers are the foundation of WAO. Without social workers, we won’t be able to do our other work, including advocacy and capacity work. The input from social workers guides our work,” said Nazreen.
“Social workers often look at cases differently compared to activists. They tend to look at things objectively and not just from one perspective,” she said.
UNICEF and MASW stand ready to continue working alongside the Malaysian government to advance the social service workforce in the country.
The professionalisation of social work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, as effective social services are crucial to achieving 65 per cent of the 169 SDG targets.
Without qualified social workers, Malaysia risks falling short of these global commitments.
