By jem
What Unicef had to say about the ghastly ordeal of children in welfare homes in Malaysia uncovered during police raids was absolutely correct.
“These children have experienced unimaginable horrors and will need long-term professional medical and psychosocial support,” Unicef observed. “The damage caused is serious and often results in lifelong consequences.”
But even more appalling is that the police raids were reportedly prompted by 41 police reports. These reports had been lodged against the company linked to the welfare homes from 2011 until 7 September this year.
In all, 402 children – from age one to 17 – were rescued from these homes.
The fact that the children’s ordeal had continued for 13 years without any action, despite multiple reports, is totally incomprehensible.
One cannot even imagine how many hundreds of children who were sent to these homes have had their lives destroyed by those entrusted to care for them.
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What then prompted the raids? There must have been some indication for the police to, all of a sudden, raid these premises. A whistleblower, perhaps?
After medical checks were done on the children, there were reportedly signs of sodomy in at least 13 children, according to Inspector General of Police Razarudin Hussain. Some had sustained burns inflicted on them by hot objects.
Many questions must be answered. Who were these children? Were they local or foreign children? Were they put into these homes by their parents? Did their parents ever visit or check on them or were they abandoned by their families?
Razaruddin said some of these children have not met their parents for a long time. “From our screening, we found that some have been left at these centres while their parents are in Saudi Arabia or Turkey.”
So will all this just be shrugged off or swept under the proverbial carpet because these welfare homes belong to a large organisation, GISBH, a Muslim conglomerate with global assets totalling RM325m?
The company reportedly owns a range of businesses in Malaysia, the Middle East and China – and, can you believe it, they even had a “petting farm” in Puchong (apparently to train boys in farming, horse riding and repair work).
The prime minister has asked the police and relevant Islamic bodies to investigate this atrocity against helpless children. Will they investigate honestly and fairly, without fear or favour, the goings-on of this conglomerate?
Naturally, GISBH will deny any wrongdoings – that goes without saying.
Meanwhile, questions need to be answered. This conglomerate has 20 welfare homes. Has nobody ever monitored these homes at all? Never even once? What was GISB doing all these 13 years? Were these homes run at the whims and fancies of the head honchos in each of these homes?
Then there are the welfare departments. Wouldn’t these homes come under the jurisdiction of the welfare departments in each state? Are these homes not monitored or registered in the states they are in?
The children’s commissioner at Suhakam is appalled by what has happened.
But it is useless to be appalled if the authorities don’t take follow-up action to prevent such abuse from happening in welfare homes, children’s homes, care homes, and schools or learning centres for children with disabilities.
Precious lives are at stake. The government, the welfare departments and other relevant authorities have to ensure that such abuses can never ever happen to those unable to look out for themselves.
jem is a reader of Aliran
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Were these homes run at the whims and fancies of the head honchos in each of these homes?
This is a matter of professionalism in their work, which unfortunately is null and void in this country. Instead of proposing to place Jakim personnels in various organisations, place them where they will be more effective like these Islamic orphanage centres to monitor day to day activities.