14-Year-Old Begging in Padungan Taken Into Welfare Custody After Repeated Neglect
KUCHING — A 14-year-old boy seen begging several times along the roadside in the Padungan area has been placed under the care of the Welfare Department after repeated concerns were raised by local residents and community leaders.
Over the past few weeks, JKKK Padungan received multiple reports from the public regarding a young child wandering alone and asking for money. In response, a team led by Kapitan Lucas Yong and Councillor Bong Siak Peng visited the location to understand the situation. They later managed to meet and speak with the child.
Initial checks found that the boy is 14 years old. His father is from West Malaysia while his mother is from Sarawak. The parents are separated, and the boy has been living with his father in Kuching. According to the community leaders, the child has not been attending school and spends long hours waiting at his father’s workplace, raising concerns about supervision and daily care.
Following the meeting, efforts were made to contact the father to clarify the matter. The father explained that he had appointed a friend as the boy’s guardian to handle his welfare and schooling. However, JKKK Padungan members noted that the child appeared to be inadequately supervised, leading him to wander and beg in public areas repeatedly.
With assistance arranged by Padungan Police Station Chief, Tuan Goh, the father and the appointed guardian were brought to the police station along with Kapitan Lucas Yong and Councillor Wung Duk Ying. At the station, police officers and Councillor Wung, who is also a practising lawyer, explained the legal responsibilities of caring for a minor. They reminded the father that any form of negligence involving a child under 18 could fall under the Child Protection Act.
The Welfare Department advised that the child could be temporarily placed at the Salvation Army for proper accommodation and schooling. However, the father refused the assistance and insisted on bringing the child back to West Malaysia. Authorities warned him that he must ensure the child’s safety and proper supervision at all times. They also stressed that if the child was found begging again, action would be taken under the Child Protection Act.
Despite these warnings, residents later informed JKKK Padungan that the child had once again been seen begging in public. Following this, the Welfare Department was alerted and intervened on 22 November. The boy was removed from the situation and taken to Rumah Kanak-Kanak Kuching for temporary shelter, safety, and medical evaluation.
The case involving the father is now being handled by the Welfare Department and the police according to the relevant legal procedures.
JKKK Padungan urged parents to remember their responsibilities, saying that children are both a duty and a hope for the future. They reminded families that proper care, supervision, and education are essential, and neglect can harm a child’s future and may constitute a legal offence. They called on the community to stay alert, protect children’s well-being, and ensure every young person receives the guidance and protection they deserve.
