Explain what is Child Act 2001

The definition of child is an important factor in determining whether a person is a child or not.
It is important to determine whether a person is considered as a child because if he is a child,
specific provisions of law. The Child Act 2001 brought major changes in the law relating to
the protection of the child in Malaysia where the rights of the child were recognized openly by
the government. Children refers to person below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but
are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect the child from abuse, and neglect. The
neglect or abuse of children, especially those which leads to death, needs to be dealt with
similarly to second class murder, and the punishment should reflect accordingly.
There is a need to review mandatory obligation of reporting imposed on family members, the
child minders and the medical practitioners should be extended to all people who have the
knowledge of the abuse. Naturally, parents have the primary responsibility of raising and
ensuring the safety of their children, but are Malaysian parents fully aware of the government
policies surrounding child care and the rights that their children have.