KUCHING: From January until July this year, a total of 20,239 births has been registered in the state, said Minister for Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah. She added that as long as the child was born in Sarawak, the child must be registered with the National Registration Department.
“According to the Birth Registration & Death Registration Ordinance 1951 (Sarawak Cap.10) section 10, in the case of every child born alive, the father and mother of the child, the occupier of the house in which to his knowledge the child is born, each person present at the birth, the person having charge of the child and, if the birth occurs in a ship or vessel, the master or other person having charge of such ship or vessel, shall, within fourteen days of such birth has taken place, furnish to the Registrar or any Deputy Registrar of the District within which the birth has happened the particulars of the same in the prescribed form, and shall certify to the correctness of such information by signing his name in the prescribed place on the form,” she said during the opening ceremony of Kanak-Kanak Pewaris Pertiwiku programme in conjunction with Sarawak State Children’s Day 2018 at Plaza Merdeka Shopping Mall here yesterday.
She also said that in order to ensure every birth in Sarawak was registered in a smooth process, JPN has established a Mobile Special Unit to conduct regular visits to the rural areas as well as open a JPN branch at the Sarawak General Hospital to provide facilities for parents to register their children’s birth on the spot.
“We have also suggested to make amendments to the Birth & Death Registration Ordinance 1951 (Sarawak Cap.10) which includes Section 10 that states birth can only be registered at the birthplace. “The proposed amendment will expand the registration area of each birth in the state,” she explained.
Fatimah also stressed that parents should know the basic rights of their child to ensure their protection. “We must make sure that our children are not neglected, abused or exposed to sexual offences.
If there are children found to be abused, neglected and subjected to sexual offences, the Welfare Department (JKM) will protect the children,” she pointed out.
As of July 2018, a total of 75 children are under the protection of JKM compared to last year with 249 children. “But protection must be provided by parents,” stressed Fatimah.
Meanwhile, a total of 200 children aged three to 17 years old participated in the Kanak-Kanak Pewaris Pertiwiku programme which began yesterday and ends today (September 8). Several activities were held such as colouring contest, solo singing, playing musical instruments, drawing and public speaking.
