KUALA LUMPUR — Yayasan Chow Kit (YCK) founder Datuk Dr Hartini Zainudin has criticised UNICEF Malaysia over a recruitment advertisement for its Chief of Child Protection position, questioning why the senior Malaysia-based role was restricted to non-Malaysian applicants.
Hartini, who previously worked with UNICEF Malaysia, voiced her concerns in a social media post today, expressing disappointment over the organisation’s decision and questioning whether qualified Malaysians were being overlooked.
“They’re opening a position for the head of child protection in Malaysia but it’s not opened to Malaysians,” she said in a follow-up post.
She said the move was particularly upsetting given UNICEF’s long-standing presence in Malaysia and its reliance on support from the local community.
“I cannot tell you how upset I am. I used to work for UNICEF Malaysia,” she said.
“Typo, mistake, this behaviour is not acceptable in Malaysia- there is no excuse!”
Yayasan Chow Kit is a Kuala Lumpur-based non-profit that provides safe spaces, care, and holistic support for at-risk children and youth in the Chow Kit area. It runs drop-in centres and a safe home, offering education, psychosocial support, healthcare referrals, and protection services to ensure vulnerable children can thrive.
Hartini further accused the UNICEF of adopting what she described as a “colonial superiority” attitude, saying the decision was difficult to accept following Malaysia’s recent Merdeka celebrations.
“This colonial superiority is shocking, given we just celebrated our Merdeka Day.”
“You come here, you raise funds in our country and you think we’re not good enough!” she said.
She also said she would no longer participate in UNICEF-related programmes or work with the organisation.
“It’s disgusting! Piss off! I will never work or go near unicef programmes or work again.” she added.
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Her comments sparked debate online, with many social media users expressing support for her stance and questioning the recruitment criteria.
One user called on the Home Ministry to prohibit UNICEF from operating in Malaysia, while another claimed the country did not need the organisation.
“We know our people and culture better than the colonials,” said a user known as ohmeelo.
Another user, @nona_cempaka, claimed that such recruitment practices were common among United Nations agencies, alleging that international roles were often reserved for foreign candidates.
However, some users noted that the position may fall under UN recruitment procedures, where certain roles are classified as international appointments and are intended to attract candidates from across countries rather than being limited to local applicants.
Scoop contacted Hartini for further comments, but she declined to elaborate on the matter.
Scoop has also reached out to UNICEF Malaysia for its response.
UNICEF Malaysia has worked with the Malaysian Government and various partners since 1954, focusing on areas including child welfare, education, health and protection.
The agency continues to support child protection initiatives in Malaysia, including efforts to strengthen safeguards for children against violence, exploitation and risks in the digital environment. – September 4, 2026