What became of M'sia's proposed social work law?

Malaysiakini

26-05-2025

LETTER | The social work agenda is integral to the Asean agenda as it addresses critical social issues such as poverty alleviation, community development, and social inclusion.
By promoting social welfare and protection, Asean aims to enhance the quality of life for its citizens and foster regional stability. This agenda falls under the Asean Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), which focuses on cooperation in education, health, and social welfare.
The ASCC aims to promote sustainable development and inclusive growth, ensuring that all members benefit from regional integration.
Several Asean countries, such as Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam, have successfully implemented legislation related to social work.
They have made significant strides in formalising social work as a recognised profession, enhancing the quality of services provided to their communities.
Historical background
What happened to the enactment of the Social Work Act in Malaysia? The long-awaited Act, which has been pending in Parliament since 2010, remains unpassed, hindering the professionalisation of social work in Malaysia.
Historically, Malaysia has pioneered the establishment of social services for underprivileged populations within Asean, beginning during the British colonial period.
We acknowledge the foundational infrastructure laid by Britain, which has significantly contributed to our social services today.
In the 1950s, Malaysia recognised the need for trained social workers when the National University of Singapore (then Universiti Malaya) could not meet our training needs.
A collaboration between the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and the government saw the launch of the first formal social work training in 1975 at USM after the NUS was unable to accommodate trainees in social work from Malaysia.
Since then, seven other universities and several colleges have provided trained, qualified social workers.
Can't get hired
Despite training thousands of social workers since 1975, many trained social workers were unable to secure employment in their field.
The Public Service Department's criteria for becoming a social worker were not specifically tailored to those who were trained in social work, but were open to others from other disciplines.
Many trained professionals pursue alternative careers, often in education.
While Malaysia is committed to becoming the leading nation in Asean for addressing biopsychosocial issues, we fail to employ qualified social workers.
The roles of social workers within the Social Welfare Department have become increasingly indistinguishable, with many untrained individuals filling positions meant for qualified social workers.
Lacking proper training
USM and seven other universities have been producing professionally trained social workers. However, only 20 percent of social workers possess formal training, leading to gaps in knowledge and practice.
This situation is exacerbated when individuals leading social welfare departments and other related fields lack appropriate qualifications.
Medical social workers, governed by the Health and Education Ministries, face similar challenges. Many are hired from unrelated fields, leading to a lack of credibility within healthcare teams.
The perception of social work has diminished, resulting in an unnecessary reliance on counsellors for tasks traditionally performed by social workers.
Medical social workers in Malaysia are trained under a common curriculum developed by USM, which adheres to the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) standards.
It is unclear why there is a push for a separate association for medical social work when they receive the same training as their peers.
Legislative delay factors
It appears that the legislative delays for the Social Work Act in Malaysia, compared to other Asean countries, can be attributed to several factors.
The legislative process in Malaysia is slow, involving multiple layers of approval and extensive consultations. Differences in opinions among stakeholders, government agencies, and NGOs toward social issues hinder the law's progress.
Limited financial and human resources dedicated to social work also slow down the development and implementation of the Act. There is insufficient public awareness and advocacy for social work issues, leading to lower priority on the legislative agenda.
Cultural attitudes towards social work and welfare over the years have impacted the momentum for legislative changes, with varying levels of acceptance and understanding of the profession.
Malaysia appears to prioritise other legislative or economic issues, pushing social work legislation on the back burner.
The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry - which is working on the Act - the higher education minister along with relevant ministries that require trained social workers and the Malaysian Association of Social Workers must collaborate to push for the Act for the betterment of the quality of social services in Malaysia.
The social work agenda for Malaysia falls under the ASCC, has been discussed many times, and we have yet to see the positive results.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of Malaysiakini.