KUCHING: The government needs to work closely with childcare facilities, schools, and organisations responsible for children to establish and enforce strict protocols on the drop-off and pick-up of children.
Pertubuhan Pembangunan Insan Sarawak (PPIS) president Manjeet Kaur Sidhu said staff members must be well-trained on child safety procedures, including verifying with the parents when their children were absent.
“A simple step as such could lower the risk of young children, especially babies, being left in the car and other untoward incidents,” she said.
At the same time, she said, the government should look into implementing and enforcing strict regulations and penalties for individuals found guilty of leaving children unattended in vehicles.
Manjeet stressed it is necessary for law enforcement agencies to conduct regular checks and organise awareness campaigns to deter negligence and enforce compliance with safety regulations.
“Utilise various media channels, including television, radio, social media, and community events, to disseminate information and send reminders to working parents to stay focused when sending their children to childcare centres or schools,” she added.
Apart from that, she said, with the advancement of technology, PPIS also encouraged the development and use of technological solutions, such as sensor systems or smart car seat alarms, that can alert parents and caregivers when a child is left unattended in a vehicle.
She said relevant parties or authorities should collaborate with technology companies and researchers to explore innovative solutions that can help prevent such incidents.
She also suggested that the government invest in research to understand the specific circumstances leading to children being left in vehicles and use data analysis to identify trends and risk factors.
“We can utilise research findings to tailor interventions and awareness campaigns to address the root causes of these incidents.
“I believe that a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach, incorporating these suggestions, will significantly contribute to preventing the tragic deaths of children left behind in vehicles.
“Our organisation is ready to collaborate with the ministry in any way possible to support the implementation of these measures,” she said.
On Monday, federal Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said her ministry will strengthen the existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) to prevent deaths of children left behind in vehicles.
In the last two months there were three fatal cases, and the latest one involved a two-year-old girl who died on Nov 8 in Kuala Lumpur, after she was left alone in a vehicle for eight hours.
The mother had forgotten to drop the child despite having already arrived at the kindergarten, after answering a call, regarding her online business.
Last month, a 16-month-old baby girl died after she was found unconscious in a car at a public university in Kuala Nerus, Kuala Terengganu.
Initial investigations revealed that the victim’s father had forgotten to send the baby to the day-care centre at the university campus before going to work at the same university.
In early October, an eight-month-old baby girl died after she was left in a car parked at the Canselor Tuanku Muhriz Hospital in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.
The girl was mistakenly left in the vehicle when her mother, a doctor at the hospital, went to work thinking that she had already sent the child to the day-care centre.
