EDITORIAL : THE NEW STRAITS TIMES, MALAYSIA

 

Licenced to care

IF a positive adjective were needed to describe the enforcement authorities, the word would have to be "merciful". How else to explain the numerous amnesty periods given to various offenders, of traffic infringement and illegal migrant labour, for instance? And so, too, it is with the Welfare Department's nearly-seven month-long "Jom Daftar" campaign, aimed at creating awareness among some 3,000 unregistered care centre operators of the need for them to be registered with the department in order to operate legally. The fact that these care centres are not supposed to operate unless they have certification from the Welfare Department, and the fact that in doing so still they are committing a crime, makes the next seven months in actuality an amnesty period. That it is instead referred to as "Jom Daftar" (Come Register) is a gentle and diplomatic way of engaging with the offenders by recouching them as compliable, rather than recalcitrant.
In this instance, the merciful approach is warranted. It is imperative that all care centres be registered so that their operation can be monitored and residents assured of a safe and professionally-run environment. Shutting down the centres is not the most desirable option because care centres play an important role in helping working families look after young children and aged dependants; more so especially as Malaysia prepares to move away from its dependence on foreign domestic labour.

But this mercy should only be given to those willing to comply; none should be given to those who only have excuses for why they can't comply. Conditions that require applicants to renovate their proposed premises to meet safety standards, for instance, were not created to stymie charitable organisations in their well-intended attempts to provide free care for poor families. The operator's good intentions notwithstanding, there are no shortcuts to making a place safe for residents.

At the same time, all the technical agencies -- like the local authority, fire and rescue services and health department -- should take cognizance of the reasons that drive operators to begin operating without certification: delays in getting approvals. In conjunction with the campaign and with a view to clearing the backlog, a concerted effort must be made to speed up the approval process, within reasonable limits. If premises simply cannot meet requirements, society should step in and help operators find a suitable one. But once the amnesty period is over, the authorities must come down swift and hard on errant operators. For no matter how desperately their services are needed, the safety of even one life is non-negotiable.