Poll: Is the 60 to 90 days of maternity leave sufficient?

Babies as young as two months are being sent to baby-sitters as their parents are unable to afford a maid at home to care for them.

Such cases are being regarded as unavoidable as current lifestyle demand both parents to work to earn a decent living.

But cases of death of babies and children at the homes of baby-sitters or childcare centres continue to haunt and worry parents, especially when such cases happen in the country.

The recent case is the death of four-months-old Azeem Rifhan whose babysitter did not even realise that he was no longer breathing and thought the baby was sound asleep.

His parents only realised something was amiss when they found his body cold when they picked him up from the care centre at Desa Pinggiran Putra.

Can such tragic incidences be avoided if mothers are given a longer maternity leave, more than the current 60 to 90 days set by the government as babies between two to six months need closer observation and care from parents?

The increase in maternity leave is believed to hugely benefit families, improve reproductive health and encourage breast-feeding for the newborns.

Currently, under the Employment Act 1955, all Malaysian women are entitled to 60 days of paid maternity leave.

Tell us what do you think.