KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The childcare profession should be regarded as an important component in supporting the family economy and not merely as a job involving the care of children, said the Prime Minister’s Senior Political Adviser Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz.
He said having trusted childcare providers enabled parents to work with greater peace of mind while ensuring that their children received proper care, making the childcare sector part of the country’s economic and social support ecosystem.
“We need to change the perception that it is merely a job. The reality is that the childcare profession is closely linked to parents’ ability to work.
“Looking after those who care for our children is the same as looking after Malaysia’s future,” he said in his speech at the opening of the Central Zone Gala Pesona Kasih Madani at the Ampang Jaya Municipal Council Convention Centre, Taman Melawati, here today.
Tengku Zafrul said his experience interacting with communities had also shown how families relied heavily on trusted childcare providers, particularly to enable parents to continue working while ensuring their children’s welfare was taken care of.
He also said that training, certification, recognition and legislation relating to childcare should continue to be prioritised to ensure that the profession had stronger standards and received due recognition.
In this regard, he said the views and challenges shared by childcare providers through the programme would be brought to the Finance Ministry and the prime minister for consideration in the Budget 2027 planning, including aspects of support, training, certification and the expansion of related programmes.
About 600 informal childcare providers, family members, mentors, programme partners and stakeholders attended the Central Zone Gala Pesona Kasih Madani, which was organised to strengthen the knowledge, skills and level of professionalism of home-based childcare providers in Malaysia.
Since its launch in August 2025, Kasih Madani has reached more than 1,000 childcare providers in four states — Kuala Lumpur, Perak, Kedah and Penang — through programmes such as the Madani Childcare Pilot Course (KARISMA), Madani Childcare Seminar (SEMAI) and Madani Childcare Professionalisation Skills Mentoring (BITARA).
The initiative, implemented by Merdeka Center with the support of Yayasan Sime Darby and the Ministry of Finance through Budget 2026, also focuses on skills development, career planning, leadership, personal branding and mentoring to strengthen the professionalism of childcare providers. — Bernama
Date: 20 September, 2026 6:18 pm
Source: Malay Mail
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