The Women, Family and Community Development through the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) launched its 'Hug Your family for 10 seconds' campaign here today.

Its minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said the campaign, in conjunction with the 1Malaysia National Family Month 2014, was aimed at strengthening family bonds.

It is an initiative to stabilise the family institution which is being socially threatened by the current lifestyle that parents and their children lead, according to her.

She said parents were spending less time with their children because both were forced to work to earn a decent living for the family.

"A hug will activate the brain to release oxytocin, a bonding hormone that will trigger a reciprocal closeness between parents and their children. It can also lower blood pressure, stress and cholesterol," she told reporters.

Earlier, she launched the family month, themed, 'Keluarga Bahagia, Negara Sejahtera'.

She said studies had also found that hugging could counter anxiety and fear among children.

She further quoted a saying by respected American family therapist and author, Virginia Satir: "We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth.”

On the case of the four-year-old boy who was allegedly tied up by his babysittter aged 39, at Taman Seri Pinang, Butterworth, Penang on Tuesday, Rohani said the incident should not have happened.

"Babysitters should not mistreat their wards as they liked. Such act is an offence under the Child Act. If the child is naughty and they cannot cope, they should return the child to the parents," she said.