The Housing and Local Government Ministry will introduce a community child care support programme at the People’s Housing Project (PPR), says its minister Zuraida Kamaruddin.

She said the programme would encourage stay-at-home mothers in PPR to work together to provide assistance in looking after the young children in the neighbourhood, and that it will be included in the new national housing policy to be announced later this month.

“We find that parents living in the PPRs are unable to send their children to nurseries or day care centres, so through this programme there will be stay-at-home mothers who will volunteer to look after the neighbours’ young children when their parents are at work,” she said.

She added that the programme could be implemented by blocks or by floors, depending on the requirements.

She suggested the stay-at-home mothers take turns, as in those who are free on a particular day can look after the young children for three to four hours while others who are free the next day could do the same thing.

She said this to reporters after visiting the family of four-year-old Siti Nur Nadhirah Khairul Anuar, who died after falling from her family unit’s balcony on the 17th floor, Block A, PPR Kota Damansara, yesterday morning.

She said her ministry would also looking into providing incentives to stay-at-home mothers who provided assistance in looking after the neighbours’ young children while the parents away at work.

Meanwhile, Zuraida said during the visit she was informed by the girl’s father, Khairul Anuar Kusnan, 45, that the family wished to continue staying in the unit despite being offered to relocate to another one.

“I have also asked for his (Khairul Anuar) consent for the residents’ associations here to carry out a ‘gotong-royong’ and to help repair his unit,” she said.

In the 7am incident, the victim who was feeling unwell, is believed to have climbed a plastic chair before falling over the balcony railing. The incident occurred when her parents were away working.

In another development, Zuraida said the Highland Towers will be demolished within a month to make way for redevelopment.

“It will be demolished as soon as possible once we clear the technicalities and the MPAJ (Ampang Jaya Municipal Council) will organise the demolition, maybe in one month’s time,” she said.

- Bernama