ALOR GAJAH, Sept 7 — The Defence Ministry (Mindef) will assist and speed up the transfer request by an Armed Forces personnel whose eight-month-old baby died in an incident in a childcare centre in Taman Kelemak Utama yesterday, said Deputy Minister Adly Zahari.
He said Mindef understands what the couple is going through as it is not easy for them, having tried for 13 years to conceive and then losing their child in such a manner.
“So in this difficult period, we will help so that the husband, who is with the Royal Army Engineers Regiment, can be together with his wife, as he is currently assigned to the Sungai Besi Camp and his wife is in Melaka.
“So we will help by expediting their application for a transfer but it also depends on the approval at the service personnel level,” Adly said.
He was speaking to the press after visiting Maj Mohd Fikry Amri Abdul Halim and his wife Sabrina Hakiem Zaini. Their infant son Muhammad Al Fateh Amri died at the Alor Gajah Hospital after being found unconscious with a bleeding nose at the childcare centre.
Adly stressed that they would continue to monitor the couple, and to provide support from various aspects, including psychological assistance.
“We see that the husband is most affected and that is why we will offer all forms of assistance, not only in physical terms but also psychologically. We want to ensure stability for the family as it will impact his service,” he said.
The Alor Gajah MP added that he wants stern action taken against the childcare centre by the authorities, especially the Social Welfare Department, as its branch is unlicensed.
“We see how some parts of this childcare centre were set up and have a license but when a branch is opened, it does not have a license or is just using the original license, and this matter requires attention and stern action needs to be taken.
“It not only involves the growth of children but their lives so all processes linked to setting up childcare centres and their branches require proper processes,” Adly said.
Following the baby’s death, a childminder at the childcare centre was remanded seven days starting today to facilitate investigations under Section 302 of the Penal Code.
— Bernama
