The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has come out with a registry of convicted child offenders to help employers run a background check on their potential workers.

Minister Rohani Abdul Karim said, at present, the registry contained the name of some 120 convicted offenders.

Speaking to reporters after launching the state-level Children Safety Campaign in Lundu today, Rohani said to obtain the information, the employers could write in full confidence to the ministry which would respond to them within two weeks.

"Consider this as a proactive measure in ensuring the safety of children when you want to employ people as school bus drivers, child care centre minders or even school guards," she said.

Earlier in her speech, Rohani said it was very important for all parents and employers to know the latest amendments in the Child Act (Amendment) 2016, including those pertaining to child offender registry, community service order, family-based care and heavier penalty.

She said the amendments were necessary to improve the Act to include current issues related to paedophilia.

- Bernama