IT is commendable that the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is in the final stage of the National Child Action Policy and the National Child Action Protection Policy (”Children to enjoy greater protection” — NST, March 29).

Apart from working on the improvements to the Child Act 2001, perhaps the ministry should, concurrent to its current effort, also look into the Law Reform (Marriage & Divorce) Act 1976 (LRA 1976) to strengthen and improve the position of children in the area of maintenance, protection and education.

In my opinion, more sustainable results can be achieved by improving the LRA 1976 (although it is not deniable that the Child Act is also equally significant).

Of particular interest are Section 51 (allowance for the converting party to petition for divorce in the civil court) and Section 95 (maintenance of children beyond the age of 18 years by parents) of the LRA 1976.

These two sections are not the only crucial sections that require urgent attention.

If the ministry is serious in upholding the protection of children, it must also take concrete efforts to focus on the real source of that protection, i.e. legal remedies that offer more meaningful results to child protection in the context of marriage and family perspectives.

JEONG CHUN PHUOC, Shah Alam

Source: NST – March 31, 2009