Latest news with #eBantuan
New Straits Times
a day ago
- Politics
- New Straits Times
Govt reviewing child protection laws amid rise in sexual assault cases
KUALA LUMPUR: The government is reviewing child protection laws following a recent increase in reported cases of sexual assault involving underage children. Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the government would not remain silent on the matter, adding that legal issues fall under the purview of Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said. "I have requested that the matter be reviewed, especially concerning the age limit for child protection, as practised in Australia. "However, I cannot comment further as the issue also comes under the jurisdiction of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC). "What's important is that we are not sitting idle," she told reporters after launching the Social Welfare Department's eBantuan system here today. She was responding to questions regarding a Facebook group called "Grup Budak-Budak Sekolah Rendah" (Primary School Kids Group), which recently went viral for allegedly featuring images of underage children for immoral purposes. It is understood that the group had shared content, including photos of minors uploaded without consent, accompanied by lewd captions and comments. According to local media reports, the group is believed to have existed since May 2014 and had around 12,000 members. However, it has reportedly been inaccessible on the platform since last Wednesday. Meanwhile, Nancy said the ministry would not provide further comments as the case is currently under police investigation.
The Star
2 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Social Welfare Dept developing new online system to replace 15-year-old eBantuan
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri (second right) presenting a basic necessities kit to a recipient after launching the implementation of the eBantuan system in Kuching. - ZULAZHAR SHEBLEE/The Star KUCHING: The Social Welfare Department is developing a new online system to manage welfare assistance more efficiently, says Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri. The Women, Family and Community Development Minister said the Welfare Assistance Management System (SPBK) 2.0 would replace the existing eBantuan system by the end of 2026. "The current system has been in use for over 15 years and is now facing technological constraints. "SPBK 2.0 is a high-impact solution in line with the government's digital initiatives," she said when launching the implementation of eBantuan in Sarawak here on Friday (June 13). The eBantuan system was introduced in 2007 but only expanded to Sarawak last year, as the state had its own welfare management system. Nancy said the integration of the federal and state systems under eBantuan would improve efficiency and eliminate abuse. "This is a very tight and efficient system, with no room for abuse," she said. From January to May this year, 55,457 recipients in Sarawak received assistance amounting to RM123.78mil under eBantuan. Nancy also said SPBK 2.0 would be fully online, utilising a secure digital platform with the latest technologies including business intelligence, automatic notifications and cloud computing. It will also be integrated with national systems such as the Central Database Hub (Padu) and National Poverty Data Bank System (eKasih) to speed up welfare verification and distribution based on accurate data. "This improvement aligns with the whole-of-government approach to deliver integrated, fast and responsive services to the people," Nancy said.
