KUALA LUMPUR - Police should go all out to find the father of the newborn baby girl who was murdered by her 16-year-old mother in Betong, Sarawak, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said.
"He should be brought to court for this crime too, and not just the girl, because he is equally responsible for what has happened."
Shahrizat was commenting on a recent case where a newborn was found slashed to death by her mother after her 27-year-old boyfriend's family refused to accept the child.
She said this after recording a Children's Day message with 74 pupils at the National Population and Family Development Board's Permata Timang kindergarten yesterday.
The message was recorded in conjunction with the 58th World Children's Day, which will be celebrated at Sri Pentas on Saturday.
She added that the ministry had made plans to expand children's welfare work under the 1Malaysia Social Welfare (KAR1SMA) programme, which was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak in August.
Earlier, Shahrizat gave 800 low-income members of the Indian community a one-off token of RM200 each at a KAR1SMA Deepavali event, jointly organised by the ministry and Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk G. Palanivel.
"Take care of your families. You must pay attention to your family's needs and make sure your children go to school," Shahrizat urged parents while delivering her opening speech at the event.
Palanivel later said that low-income members of the Indian community who had registered at MIC service centres in other states would also be given the assistance before Deepavali on Oct 26.
