Child Care Centre Act 1984
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308
Incorporating all amendments up to 1 August 2008
Date of Royal Assent ... ... ... ... ...4 September 1984
Date of publication in the Gazette ... ... ...6 September 1984
Date of coming into operation ... ...
Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur- 1 March 1985; Selangor - 1 March 1985; Other States- 1 February 1986
ACT 308
CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984
Part I PRELIMINARY
SECTION
1.Short title, commencement and application
2.Interpretation
3.Exemptions
Part II REGISTRATION OF CHILD CARE CENTRES
SECTION
4.All child care centres to be registered
5.Categories of child care centres
6.Prohibition of unregistered child care centres
7.Registration
8.Terms and conditions to be imposed
9.Register to be kept
10.Inspection of register kept
11.Certificate of registration
11a.Interpretation
Part III CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION
SECTION
12.Cancellation of registration
Part IV APPOINTMENT OF AUTHORIzED OFFICERS
SECTION
13.Appointment of officers
14.Powers of the Director General and authorized officers
Part V DIRECTIONS
SECTION
15.Director General to give written directions
16.Order for temporary closure of child care centres
Part VI MISCELLANEOUS
SECTION
17.Offences and penalties
17a.Offences by body corporate, etc.
18.Presumption
19.Existing child care centres
20.Power to enter and inspect premises
20a.Power to seal
21.Institution of prosecution
21a.Compounding of offences
22.Appeal
23.Regulations
24.Provision to allow reception of children above the age of four years
An Act to provide for the registration, control and inspection of child care centres and for purposes connected therewith.
[Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur--1 March 1985, P.U.(B) 101[#8260]1985; Selangor--1 March 1985, P.U.(B) 101[#8260]1985; Other States--1 February 1986, P.U.(B) 55[#8260]1986]
BE IT ENACTED by the Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/1.Short title, commencement and application
Part I PRELIMINARY
1. Short title, commencement and application
This Act may be cited as the Child Care Centre Act 1984 and shall come into force on such date as the Minister may, by notification in the Gazette, appoint and the Minister may appoint different dates for the coming into force of different parts or provisions and for different parts of Malaysia.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/2.Interpretation
2. Interpretation
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires--
"authorized officer"
means an officer appointed under section 13;
"child care centre"
means any premises at which four or more children under the age of four years from more than one household are received to be looked after for reward;
"Director General"
means the Director General of Social Welfare;
"register"
means any register required to be kept under the provisions of this Act;
"registered child care centre"
means a child care centre registered under section 7;
"relative"
means a grandparent, brother, sister, uncle or aunt related by consanguinity;
"State Director"
means the Director of Social Welfare of a State and includes the Director of Social Welfare of the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, the Federal Territory of Labuan and the Federal Territory of Putrajaya respectively.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/3.Exemptions
3. Exemptions
(1) This Act shall not apply to--
(a) any government hospital or private hospital licensed under the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 Act 586];
(b) any institution exempted from the provisions of this Act by the Director General;
(c) any kindergarten or nursery school which is registered under the Education Act 1996 [Act 550];
(d) any childcare centre or any children's home established or run by the FederalGovernment or a State Government.
(2) This Act shallnot apply to the reception of a child by a relative.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/4.All child care centres to be registered
Part II REGISTRATION OF CHILD CARE CENTRES
4. All child care centres to be registered
Subject to the provisions of this Act, everychild care centre shall be registered under this Act.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/5.Categories of child care centres
5. Categories of child care centres
There shall be four categories of child carecentres as follows--
(a) home basedchild care centre which is a child care centre which receives lessthan ten children into the homes of the person registered under section 7;
(b) work place based child care centre which is a child care centre at a work place which receives ten or more children.
(c) community based child care centre which is a child care centre which receives ten or more children in a particular area and which receives aid from the Federal Government or a State Government; and
(d) institution based child care centre which is a child care centre other than a child care centre under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) which receives ten or more children.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/6.Prohibition of unregistered child care centres
6. Prohibition of unregistered child care centres
(1) No person shall operate or take part in the management of a child care centre which is not registered under the provisions of this Act.
(2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both and in the case of a second or subsequent offence, to a fine not exceeding twenty thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years or to both.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/7.Registration
7. Registration
(1) Application for registration in respect of a child care centre shall be made to the Director General in the prescribed form.
(2) The Director General may in his discretion register or refuse to register the applicant in respect of the child care centre named in the application.
(3) The Director General may in his discretion register or refuse to register any child care centre.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/8.Terms and conditions to be imposed
8. Terms and conditions to be imposed
The Director General may register any child care centre subject to the following--
(a) limiting the number of children who may be received in such child care centre at any one time;
(b) ensuring that the applicant or any other person he employs at the child care centre is a fit and proper person, whether by reason of age or otherwise, to operate, take part in the management of or be employed at the child care centre;
(c) ensuring that such child care centre shall be adequately staffed, both as regards the number and the qualifications or experience of the persons employed therein or taking part in the conduct thereof;
(d) ensuring that such child care centre shall be adequately and suitably equipped and maintained;
(e) ensuring that, where any children are received in any child care centre and remain there for a continuous period exceeding four hours in any one day, there shall be adequate and suitable arrangement for feedings, resting and recreation for such children and that adequate and balanced diet shall be provided;
(f) complying with any requirement relating to the structure, fire precautions, health, sanitation and safety;
(g) any other conditions which the Director General deems fit and proper.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/9.Register to be kept
9. Register to be kept
(1) The Director General shall cause to be kept, in such form as he may specify, a register of child care centres registered under this Act containing--
(a) the name and address of every person registered in respect of any child care centre;
(b) the name and address of every registered child care centre; and
(c) such other particulars as the Director General thinks fit.
(2) A copy of an entry in the register purporting to be certified under the hand of the Director General shall, until the contrary is proved, be admitted in evidence as proof of the facts stated therein as at the date of such certified copy.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/10.Inspection of register kept
10. Inspection of register kept
Any person may, on application in writing to the Director General and on payment of a prescribed fee, inspect the register kept under section 9 during office hours.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/11.Certificate of registration
11. Certificate of registration
(1) Where any child care centre is registered, the Director General shall upon payment of a prescribed fee issue a certificate of registration in the prescribed form in respect of such child care centre, and such certificate shall specify the address of the child care centre to which the registration relates and also any conditions imposed under the provisions of this Act.
(2) A certificate of registration shall be issued to, and in the name of the person who made the application therefor, and shall not be transferable to any other person.
(3) Every certificate of registration issued under the provision of this section shall be valid for sixty calendar months.
(4) Where any change occurs in any of the circumstances particulars of which are specified in a certificate issued under the provisions of this section, the person to whom such certificate was issued shall, within fourteen days, notify the Director General in writing accordingly, and the Director General shall issue an amended certificate in lieu of the original certificate.
(5) A copy of the certificate of registration issued by the Director General under this section shall be exhibited in a conspicuous place in the premises specified in the certificate of registration.
(6) Upon ceasing to operate a child care centre, the person to whom the certificate of registration has been issued shall surrender the certificate to the Director General within one month from the date of such cessation.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/11a.Interpretation
11a. Interpretation
For the purposes of this Part, the Director General includes the State Director.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/12.Cancellation of registration
Part III CANCELLATION OF REGISTRATION
12. Cancellation of registration
The Director General may cancel the registration made under section 7--
(a) wherever there has been any contravention of or non-compliance with any conditions imposed in respect of any registration made under this Act;
(b) where there has been any failure to notify any change of circumstances in accordance with the provisions of subsection 11(4);
(c) on the groundthat the person to whom the certificate of registration has been issuedhas been convicted of any offence under this Act or any offence involvingmoral turpitude;
(d) if it appearsto him that--
(i) the childcare centre has ceased to be operated as such or to exist; or
(ii) suchperson has ceased to operate that child care centre.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/13.Appointment of officers
Part IV APPOINTMENT OF AUTHORIzED OFFICERS
13. Appointment of officers
The Minister may by notification in the Gazette appoint such number of officers ashe may consider necessary for the purposes of this Act.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/14.Powers of the Director General and authorized officers
14. Powers of the Director General and authorized officers
The Director General and any authorizedofficer may from time to time enter and inspect any premises usedfor the purposes of a child care centre for the purpose of ensuringthat--
(a) the healthand well-being of the children or employees therein are satisfactory;
(b) the registers,records, time-tables, menus, books of accounts are properly maintained;
(c) adequateand suitable equipment are provided therein;
(d) the structure,hygiene and sanitation are maintained;
(e) adequateprecautions are taken against fire or other peril likely to endangerthe lives or health of children cared for therein.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/15.Director General to give written directions
Part V DIRECTIONS
15. Director General to give written directions
(1) The Director General may, in respect of any registered childcare centre, give such directions in writing as he thinks necessaryto ensure that--
(a) the centreis operated and managed satisfactorily;
(b) the welfareof the children attending the centre is promoted in a proper manner;
(c) adequateapparatus and equipment necessary as safeguards against fire are providedtherein; and
(d) the provisionsof this Act are complied with.
(2) A directionunder subsection (1)--
(a) shall be served upon the person registered in respect of the child care centre; and
(b) shall specify a period of time within which the directions shall be complied with.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/16.Order for temporary closure of child care centres
16. Order for temporary closure of child care centres
(1) The Director General may--
(a) if it appears to him that there is any danger or risk of danger to persons in any premises of a registered child care centre; or
(b) if, in respect of any such premises a direction given under section 15 is not complied with within the period of time specified in the notice served thereunder,
by order in writing direct that the premises shall cease to be used as a child care centre for such period as he thinks fit or until further notice.
(2) Any order under this section shall be served on the person registered in respect of the child care centre, and shall take effect from the date of service thereof.
(3) It shall be sufficient service of any order under this section if--
(a) it is delivered personally to the person on whom it is served;
(b) it is sent by registered post to the last known address of that person; or
(c) a copy thereof is posted in a conspicuous place upon or in the premises to which it relates.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/17.Offences and penalties
Part VI MISCELLANEOUS
17. Offences and penalties
Any person who--
(a) operates or takes part in the management of a child care centre in any premises other than premises specified in the certificate of registration of the child care centre;
(b) in or in connection with any application under this Act makes any statement or furnishes information, whether such statement be oral or written, which is false in any material particular and which he knows or reasonably ought to know is false in such particular;
(c) obstructs the Director General or any authorized officer in the exercise of any of his powers under this Act;
(d) refuses to produce any book, document or other article upon being so required under section 20, or, when so required, furnishes information which is false in material particular and which he knows or reasonably ought to know is false in such particular;
(e) operates or takes part in the management of a child care centre which is operated in any name other than the name in which it is registered;
(f) fails to comply with an order served on him under section16;
(g) fails to notify the Director General of any change that occurs in any of the circumstances particulars of which are specified in the certificate in accordance with subsection 11(4);
(h) fails tocause a copy of the certificate of registration to be exhibited inaccordance with subsection 11(5); or
(i) fails tosurrender the certificate of registration upon ceasing to operatea child care centre in accordance with subsection11(6),
shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction be liable to a fine not exceeding ten thousand ringgit or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/17a.Offences by body corporate, etc.
17a. Offences by body corporate, etc.
Where an offence under this Act or any regulations made under this Act has been committed by a body corporate, partnership or society--
(a) in the case of a body corporate, any person who was a director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the body corporate at the time of the commission of the offence;
(b) in the case of a partnership, every partner in the partnership at the time of the commission of the offence; or
(c) in the case of a society, every office-bearer of the society at the time of the commission of the offence,
may be charged severally or jointly in the same proceedings as the body corporate, partnership or society and shall be deemed to have committed the offence unless he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or connivance or that he had taken all reasonable precautions or that he had exercised due diligence to prevent the commission of the offence.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/18.Presumption
18. Presumption
In any prosecution for any offence under this Act, if it is proved that any person did any act in connection with the organization or operation of a child care centre, it shall be presumed, until the contrary is proved, that such person took part in the management of such child care centre.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/19.Existing child care centres
19. Existing child care centres
Any person who manages or maintains a child care centre at the date of coming into force of this Act shall within a period of six months from the date of such commencement apply to the Director General in the prescribed form for the issue of a certificate of registration.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/20.Power to enter and inspect premises
20. Power to enter and inspect premises
(1) The Director General or any authorized officer shall have power to enter at any reasonable time any premises reasonably suspected of being used for the purpose of a child care centre without registration or where he has any reasonable grounds for believing that there has been contravention of the provisions of this Act and shall inspect such premises to make any inquiry which he considers necessary.
(2) In the course of inspection under this section the Director General or any authorized officer may--
(a) put questions concerning the management of the child care centre to the person registered under this Act and to any other person in charge of the child care centre whose evidence he may consider necessary, and all such persons shall be legally bound to answer such questions truthfully to the best of their ability;
(b) require the person in charge to produce before him all or any of the records required to be kept under this Act; and
(c) seize or take copies of any record produced before him under paragraph (b).
(3) Any personmay refuse to comply with any demand or order by an authorized officeracting or purporting to act under this Act if such officer refuseson demand to declare his identity or produce a letter of authorization,as the case may be.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/20a.Power to seal
20a. Power to seal
(1) Where the Director General or any authorized officer has reasonablecause to believe that any house, building, premise or other placeis being used as a child care centre which is not registered underthe provisions of this Act the Director General or the authorizedofficer may take such steps as he may deem necessary or by any meansseal such child care centre.
(2) The personusing the house, building, premise or place as a child care centrewhich has been sealed shall--
(a) withintwenty-one days of such seal produce to the Director General or theauthorized officer the certificate of registration of the child carecentre; and
(b) bear anycost incurred arising out of such action.
(3) The sealshall be removed if--
(a) such personcomplies with the requirement of subsection(2); or
(b) an order of the court is obtained against such person for him to cease using the house, building, premise or place as a child care centre,
whichever is the earlier.
(4) The Director General or the authorized officer acting under this section shall not be liable for any cost arising out of such action or damages to the house, building, premise or place sealed under this section unless such damage was wilfully done.
(5) Any action taken under this section in respect of any house, building, premise or other place shall not prohibit the prosecution of any person using such house, building, premise or place as a child care centre in contravention of this Act.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/21.Institution of prosecution
21. Institution of prosecution
No prosecution for an offence under this Act or any regulations made under this Act shall be instituted except by or with the written consent of the Public Prosecutor.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/21a.Compounding of offences
21a. Compounding of offences
(1) The Director General may, with the consent of the Public Prosecutor, compound any offence committed by any person against this Act or any regulations made under this Act by making a written offer, in the form as may be prescribed, to the person reasonably suspected of having committed the offence to compound the offence upon payment to the Director General of an amount of money not exceeding fifty per centum of the amount of maximum fine for that offence within the time specified in the offer.
(2) An offer under subsection (1) may be made at any time after the offence has been committed, but before any prosecution for it has been instituted, and where the amount specified in the offer is not paid within the time as specified in the offer, or within such extended period as the Director General may grant, prosecution for the offence may be instituted at any time after that against the person to whom the offer was made.
(3) Where the offence has been compounded under subsection(1), no prosecution shall be instituted in respect of the offence against the person to whom the offer to compound was made.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/22.Appeal
22. Appeal
Any person aggrieved by the decision of the Director General under this Act shall within thirty days of the notification of such decision appeal in writing to the Minister whose decision shall be final and shall not be questioned in any court of law on any ground.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/23.Regulations
23. Regulations
(1) The Minister may make regulations to carry out the purposes of this Act.
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such regulations may provide for all or any of the following matters--
(a) the operation, management and supervision of child care centres;
(b) the duties and responsibilities of persons registered in respect of child care centres;
(c) the qualifications, experience, appointment, duties, responsibilities and discipline of persons for the purposes of the operation, management and supervision of child care centres;
(d) the health and nutrition care of the children cared for in child care centres;
(e) the registration of child minders employed in child care centres;
(f) the keeping and maintenance of such registers pertaining to children, in such form as the Minister deems fit;
(g) the prescribing of the minimum requirements for child care centres to be used for the reception of children and to provide for the minimum sanitary requirements, water supplies and other matters pertaining to health in respect of such buildings;
(h) the prescribing of the minimum equipment;
(i) the prescribing of forms to be used and the information to be furnished for any of the purposes of this Act;
(j) the granting of certificates and the issue of copies of the certificates in the case of the certificates being lost or destroyed;
(k) the fees to be paid under this Act;
(l) the prescription of anything which is required to be or which may be prescribed under the Act.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/24.Provision to allow reception of children above the age of four years
24. Provision to allow reception of children above the age of four years
Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act the Director General may, on the application of the person registered in respect of a child care centre, allow that the said child care centre receive children above the age of four years, subject to such further terms and conditions which the Director General may deem necessary.
Unannotated Statutes of Malaysia - Principal Acts/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 Act 308/CHILD CARE CENTRE ACT 1984 ACT 308,,/LIST OF AMENDMENTS