Photo Credit – flickr

By Daniel Mahmud

Childhood is a wonderful time of learning, discovering, exploring and play. However, there are children who have been forced into hard labour (some even in hazardous environments) in many countries all over the world. Although this is an illegal act that shouldn’t be practiced, child labour is still a common phenomenon, even in Malaysia. 

One of the reasons for child labour may be due to growing up in a poor family, the parents would ask their children to forego their studies to help earn money to provide for the family. This in return would cause a child to be illiterate or lack proper education. Thus, the chain of poverty will be passed on from generation to generation. 

According to Section 2(1) of the Children and Young Persons (Employment) Act 1966, it was stated that “No child or young person shall be, or be required or permitted to be, engaged in any hazardous work, or any employment other than those specified in this section.” A child or young person is someone who hasn’t completed his or her sixteenth year of age. 

Therefore, the government should educate the public on the disastrous effect child labour would bring to children and provide financial aid to underprivileged families to stop child labour. Families who live in poverty should also take the initiative to apply for financial aid from the government to lessen their financial burden. 

Children are the country’s future. As such, children should be protected from exploited labour and every child should be given the opportunity to receive proper education. The public should also play their part in reporting any acts of child labour to the relevant authorities so that serious action could be taken against the parents or employers involved.