KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development is awaiting a complete police report on the two recent cases of the babies who died after allegedly being left inside a car.
Its Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said assumptions cannot be made on what had occurred.
“There are two such cases within a very short period, and we cannot assume what exactly happened.
“Therefore, we have to wait for the police report and cannot reveal anything until the police report is released,” she told reporters when met at the Indian Association Kuching’s (IAK) Hall at Jalan Rock here yesterday.
She added the police are currently investigating the cases under the Section 31(1)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
“Only from the police report will we be able to know the case is due to negligence. And we also need to look at the position of the family concerned.
“If it concerns mental distress or others, it must be proven,” she said.
On advice to parents or guardians looking after young children to avoid similar incidents from happening, Nancy replied, “We can give advice but we don’t know the situation of that individual when they go to work and in their mind they want to arrive at work fast and may unintentionally forget the child in the car. They are human too.”
She said as such punishments cannot be made without knowing what happened and the facts from the police reports.
On Oct 6, it was previously reported that an eight-month-old baby girl had died when she was left in a car parked at the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital (HCTM) in Cheras.
Meanwhile, on Oct 25, it was also reported that a 16-month-old baby girl died after allegedly being left inside a car at a public university in the Kuala Nerus district.