Childcare centre locked up following toddler’s death

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CLOSED: Ismail and JKM secretary Wan Rusnah Wan Othman locking up the centre. — Bernama photo

GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Social Welfare Department yesterday locked up the Strawberry Childcare Centre in Paya Terubong, near here, following the death of a toddler under its care last Monday.

Its director, Zulkifli Ismail said, the action was taken under Section 16A(1) of the Child Care Centre Act.

The centre operator would also be given 21 days to provide proof of the centre’s registration, he said.

He said this move was taken to curb illegal childcare centres and prevent incidents involving negligence to the extent of causing injury, death, sexual abuse and more towards children at the centre.

Last Monday, two-year-old Stella Chew Xing Rou was found drowned in a basin in the bathroom of a two-storey terrace house at 1pm.

The toddler was then sent to a private clinic before she was confirmed dead half an hour later.

“Our investigations revealed that the daycare centre was not registered because it has yet to fulfill the requirements stipulated under the act as well as get approval from the local authorities,” Zulkifli told reporters, here yesterday.

He said should the centre fail to come up with proof within the given period, the department would apply for a court order for the operator to cease using the premises.

He also advised parents to make sure that childcare centres and kindergartens were registered before sending their children to ensure their safety and wellbeing.

The department was actively working on registering all childcare centres and kindergartens through the ‘Jom Daftar Taska’ (Let’s Register Kindergartens) campaign this July 18, he added. — Bernama