Sodomised kids: Govt urged to probe officers who monitored homes
Published: Sep 13, 2024 4:42 PM
The government has been urged to investigate child protection officers, authorities, and other staff from the Child Development Department who were supposed to be monitoring the welfare homes where children were allegedly sodomised.
Child Rights Coalition Malaysia (CRCM) said the probe must be conducted swiftly and confidentially.
“(The probe must) assess the gaps and limitations in the services provided that resulted in the heinous crime committed against these children,” they said in a statement today.
On Wednesday, police raided 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan allegedly run by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) - a group with close links to the banned al-Arqam deviant group.
GISBH has denied operating the homes involved, as well the allegations that children under its care were abused and sodomised.
The raids came following a police report on Sept 2 about alleged child abandonment, sexual assault and harassment of children at the welfare homes.
Police initially said that 402 children were rescued in the operation.
In the latest update, Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain said 392 children were rescued, of whom more than half were between the ages of four and 12.
Of the rescued children, 172 have undergone screening on suspicion they were sexually abused, and of that number 13 were believed to be sodomy victims.
Sad state
GISBH has denied the abuse and sodomy allegations.
CRCM in their statement, lauded the police’s quick action in rescuing the children.
However, they lamented that this reflected the “sad state” of shelter homes and care centres in Malaysia.
“Many of which are unlicensed and manned by insufficiently trained or untrained staff, including child protectors without relevant social work qualifications, expertise and experience under the Social Welfare Department to effectively case manage, monitor and undertake interventions for children in alternative care including institutional care in a timely manner to ensure their safety and well-being.
“This is further constrained by the unwillingness of the Social Welfare Department to rope in relevant civil society organisations (CSO) to jointly and effectively prevent, mitigate and respond to child sexual exploitation and abuse in alternative care arrangements and marginalised communities,” they said.
Child protection
The group called on Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri to collaborate with reputable CSOs that specialise in child protection and alternative care to ensure the rescued children are provided with safe spaces, trauma recovery support, and long-term solutions for their well-being.
They also urged, among other recommendations, for the Child Development Department to establish an intra-agency team with the relevant ministries and CSOs to set up standard operating procedures to promptly identify and manage unregistered care centres nationwide.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Nancy Shukri
“(This is to enable) monitoring, case managing, rescuing child victims from risky situations and providing them with protection and support services.
“This includes mandating that these care centres including detention centres, schools, learning centres, and madrassah to have a functional child safeguarding policy, child protection procedures and confidential grievance/complaints mechanisms in place.
“All workforces must be trained to prevent, mitigate and respond to child sexual exploitation and abuse including online crimes against children,” they said.
Long-term physical, emotional trauma
Razarudin said police were investigating to determine whether the children were separated from their parents voluntarily or forced by the company.
He said it was also found that the children at the shelter homes were the third and fourth generation who did not attend formal schooling and were only home-schooled, which is an offence.
“Following the operation, the police have opened 24 investigation papers including for offences under the Child Act 2001 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007,” he said.
“(This is to enable) monitoring, case managing, rescuing child victims from risky situations and providing them with protection and support services.
“This includes mandating that these care centres including detention centres, schools, learning centres, and madrassah to have a functional child safeguarding policy, child protection procedures and confidential grievance/complaints mechanisms in place.
“All workforces must be trained to prevent, mitigate and respond to child sexual exploitation and abuse including online crimes against children,” they said.
Long-term physical, emotional trauma
Razarudin said police were investigating to determine whether the children were separated from their parents voluntarily or forced by the company.
He said it was also found that the children at the shelter homes were the third and fourth generation who did not attend formal schooling and were only home-schooled, which is an offence.
“Following the operation, the police have opened 24 investigation papers including for offences under the Child Act 2001 and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007,” he said.
IGP Razarudin Husain
Bernama also reported Razarudin as saying health screening done on the children revealed that 172 of them had long-term physical and emotional injuries.
Regarding the 171 individuals arrested in the operation, he said they comprised the caretakers and managers of the shelter homes, with 159 of them on remand for between four and seven days.
He said those aged between 18 and 51 were detained in lockups in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
Bernama also reported Razarudin as saying health screening done on the children revealed that 172 of them had long-term physical and emotional injuries.
Regarding the 171 individuals arrested in the operation, he said they comprised the caretakers and managers of the shelter homes, with 159 of them on remand for between four and seven days.
He said those aged between 18 and 51 were detained in lockups in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan.
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