The official passing of the Social Work Profession Bill 2026 by the Dewan Rakyat yesterday marks a historic milestone that will fundamentally restructure the nation's welfare and humanitarian service landscape.

Social Work Expert from the Faculty of Psychology and Social Work, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peter Voo, highly welcomed the landmark approval, describing it as a pivotal shift toward the institutionalisation and professionalisation of the field.

According to Dr. Peter, the implementation of the Registration of Social Work Practitioners will deliver a critical dual impact, especially in navigating complex post-pandemic community and social issues.

"This registration system not only validates the expertise of social workers, but the standardization and regulatory frameworks under this new act will also serve as a legal shield. It protects social workers from operational hazards while concurrently safeguarding the rights and privacy of the service recipients (clients) against any form of exploitation by unqualified individuals," he explained.

In tandem with the milestone, Dr. Peter expressed his highest appreciation and congratulations to the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development (KPWKM), particularly its Minister, Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.

"Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri’s unwavering commitment in steering extensive engagement sessions and defending the necessity of this act in Parliament is highly commendable. Her dedicated efforts have successfully elevated the social work profession in Malaysia, placing it on par with other established professional bodies in law and medicine," Dr. Peter added.

With the impending enforcement of this act, the Faculty of Psychology and Social Work at UMS remains fully committed to supporting the government’s vision by grooming future social work graduates who are highly competent, ethical, and fully aligned with national competency standards for a sustainable society.