KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 31 — The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) has obtained the cooperation of the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) to screen candidates applying to work as babysitters.

KPWKM minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the agreement was reached during her meeting with Deputy Inspector-General of Police Datuk Seri Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay last week.

She said the move would be taken in efforts to reduce child abuse at nurseries and child care centres.

"I have requested that they (police) help in the vetting process on babysitters, and they (police) agreed,” she told reporters after opening the Strategic Partnership Programme on Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy with Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd here today.

She said KPWKM and PDRM will have further discussions to formalise the matter.

According to her, the process of hiring babysitters needs to be tightened to ensure the welfare and safety of the children under their care.

"Recently, there have been reports of foreigners becoming babysitters and this has become a challenge. We want action to be taken so that this does not happen because these people (foreigners) come here (to Malaysia) not to work as nannies or babysitters... they do not possess permits to work as babysitters,” she said.

She said spot checks would be carried out at childcare centres as part of the monitoring by the ministry.

Regarding the Strategic Partnership Programme on Anti-Sexual Harassment Advocacy, she said, it was a continuation of the KPWKM@Advocacy Anti-Sexual Harassment Roadshow.

The programme is aimed at providing awareness and education regarding sexual harassment to eliminate the culture of normalising sexual harassment, she added. — Bernama