16 child cases in Padawan referred under Child Act this year, says Puncak Borneo MP
by Jude Toyat · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Sept 24): Sixteen child-related cases in the Padawan area have been referred under the Child Act 2001 so far this year, said Puncak Borneo MP Datuk Willie Mongin.
He said the cases were recorded by the Social Welfare Department up to this September.
“Meanwhile, the child cases referred under the Child Act 2001 for the Padawan area totalled 16 cases,” he said during the opening of the Social Welfare Act Advocacy Programme 2026 organised by the Kuching Social Welfare Office and Puncak Borneo Parliamentary Office at Dewan Persatuan Biperoh Kuching yesterday.
Willie also said 37 domestic violence cases had been reported to the Kuching Social Welfare Office up to September this year, compared with 43 cases in 2025 and 32 in 2024.
He said the figures highlighted the need for continued efforts in child protection, domestic violence prevention and management, as well as the welfare of persons with disabilities, senior citizens and other vulnerable groups.
He stressed that social legislation was not solely about enforcement, but also served as an important mechanism to ensure vulnerable individuals received protection, assistance and appropriate services.
Among the relevant legislation are the Child Act 2001, Domestic Violence Act 1994 and Persons with Disabilities Act 2008, alongside related policies, guidelines and other social welfare provisions.
Willie said protecting community welfare required cooperation among families, communities, community leaders, government agencies, authorities, educational and health institutions, non-governmental organisations and other stakeholders.
He said early identification of social problems could allow appropriate intervention and support to be provided before situations worsened.
Willie also urged members of the public to understand what action to take if they encountered cases involving child abuse or neglect, domestic violence or the neglect of vulnerable individuals.
“Awareness and knowledge are important because each of us has a role in ensuring that the safety and welfare of the community are always protected,” he said.
He hoped participants would share information on social legislation, rights, responsibilities and available assistance channels with communities in their respective areas.
“The more members of the community understand their rights, responsibilities and channels for obtaining assistance, the easier it is for us to build a caring community that can respond appropriately when faced with social issues,” he said.