High-rise tragedies show a systemic failure to ensure child safety, says children's commissioner
PETALING JAYA: Recent fatal falls from high-rise buildings involving children reflect a prevalent failure to prioritise their safety in the home, says the Suhakam children's commissioner.
Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said such cases could have been prevented with proper safety measures in place, coupled with awareness and enforcement of safety regulations.
"These back-to-back tragedies are not isolated accidents," she said in a statement on Friday (June 6).
ALSO READ: Safer high-rises for kids
"They are preventable deaths that starkly expose the failure to implement essential safety measures in high-rise residential buildings.
"These children did not have to die," she added.
She said the recent cases were a direct consequence of a systemic failure to prioritise child safety where it matters most – in the home.
"As a party to the (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child, Malaysia is duty-bound to protect every child's right to life, development, and protection from foreseeable harm.
ALSO READ: Four-year-old boy dies after fall from 30th-floor of Bukit Jalil apartment
"A safe home environment is not a luxury.
"Providing a safe home environment is a legal and moral obligation," she said.
Her remarks follow the death of a four-year-old boy who is believed to have fallen from the 30th-floor balcony of an apartment in Bukit Jalil on Thursday (June 5) morning.
On May 21, a seven-year-old girl fell from the 29th floor of a condominium in Puchong, Subang Jaya.
On May 17, a boy aged two years and eight months died after falling from the seventh floor of a public housing unit in Precinct 9, Putrajaya.
ALSO READ: Seven-year-old girl dies after falling from Puchong condo
The Star had previously highlighted the dangers posed to children living in high-rise buildings and suggestions by child activists on how to better ensure their safety.
Dr Farah called in both Federal and state authorities, including stakeholders, to urgently implement measures to prevent further tragedies.
Among them, she said, were enacting specific laws to enhance child safety in high-rise residential buildings.
"This includes making it mandatory for all apartment and flat units, including rental units, to be equipped with safety grilles or protective mesh on windows and balconies.
"Additionally, minimum safety design standards for child-friendly high-rise units must be established under existing building laws or regulations," she said.
ALSO READ: Boy dies in fall from seventh floor of Putrajaya housing block
At present, under the Uniform Building By-Laws 1984 (UBBL), balcony railings of residential high-rise buildings cannot be less than 1m or 1,000mm in height, but local authorities can impose stricter requirements.
However, it is mandatory for window grilles to be installed in residential high-rise buildings under the UBBL, although it could be regulated by the building's management or voluntarily installed by the owners.
"Current building design for child safety standards must be reviewed and integrated as mandatory requirements in all high-rise residential developments," Dr Farah said.
She also called on local authorities to conduct regular and strict compliance inspections of high-rise units, especially rental properties, to ensure compliance with child safety standards and features.
"To all parents, while we push for reforms to take place, in the meantime, vigilance is key.
"If you live in a high-rise residence, never leave young children unattended, and ensure safety measures are installed," she added.
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