KUALA LUMPUR: The government plans to introduce a new law called the Social Workers Profession Act which would see social workers being categorised as professionals.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said it was aimed at improving efficiency in the management of social work for targeted groups.
The deputy prime minister said the bill for the new law would be tabled in December.
She was replying Wong Kah Woh (PH-Ipoh Timur) who asked on the low numbers of qualified social workers in Malaysia.
Wan Azizah said the ratio in Malaysia was one social worker for every 8,576, which is lower than developed countries such as the United States (1:490), Australia (1:1,040), United Kingdom (1:3,025) and Singapore (1:3,448).
She said this could be due to Welfare Department officers being burdened with duties beyond their job scope.