Child rights group Save the Children on Thursday urged the government speed up legislation work on setting up a mandatory reporting mechanism for suspected child abuse cases.

The call comes after a survey commissioned by the group last year found that only 23 percent of the 1,008 adults interviewed said they would always intervene if they witnessed a child being beaten, slapped or verbally abused.

Many of those who said they’d rather not take any action, meanwhile, explained that they “did not want interfere in the internal affairs of the family”.

A spokesperson for Save the Children, Winnie Ng, said this mindset needs to change.

"Corporal punishment is not a private family matter, as it violates children's rights and can have long-lasting negative effects on their well-being. It is the society's responsibility to ensure that all children are protected from harm,” she said.

The group added that over 80 percent of respondents support making it mandatory for professionals who have regular contact with children to reported suspected abuse and neglect cases.

The government vowed to take forward legislative work on the mandatory reporting mechanism last September, following the death of a five-year-old boy whose body was covered in wounds.