‘Agents and services are responsible for abuses in nursing homes’

PETALING JAYA:The police, social welfare and religious institutions are responsible for child abuse and sexual exploitation in nursing homes, claims leading child rights activist Dr James Nayagam.

“There have been 41 police reports filed against Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings (GISBH) from 2011 to September 7. What actions have they taken in those 13 years?

“The departments took their own time and worked in silos. This contributed to a colossal failure to act against the alleged perpetrators, and the children are now paying the price.”

On September 11, police rescued 402 minors between the ages of one and 17 from nursing homes linked to GISBH for alleged exploitation during a major operation in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, codenamed Op Global.

According to IGP Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, the victims, who are from the neighbourhood, were subjected to various forms of exploitation and abuse, including being sodomised by caretakers and taught to perform similar acts on other children in the house.

“They were punished with heated metal objects if they made mistakes and the suspects touched their body parts, under the guise that this was part of a religious medical treatment.”

Nayagam said that while the Child Care Centre Act, 1984 and the Child Act, 2001 are comprehensive, the problem lies in enforcement and non-implementation of the laws, especially when it comes to homes run by groups labelled as ‘deviant’.

He said authorities should exercise the same level of oversight over religious homes as they do over homes run by NGOs.

“For years, homes run by religious organizations were not properly regulated and now we are seeing the consequences.

“I urge the Human Rights Commission to hold a public inquiry into the GISBH case. It should investigate why the regulations were not enforced and recommend how to prevent a recurrence.”

He said parental neglect plays a major role as many parents send their children to unregistered homes with questionable staff.

“Some children were sent to care when they were just seven months old. As a parent, it is disturbing to see children exposed in such an environment.

“There are many more cases. This is just the tip of the iceberg, so it is crucial to expose such problems and end them.”

Persatuan Kebajikan Suara Kanak-Kanak director Anderson Selvasegaram said such a tragic case is disturbing and raises several issues that need to be addressed.

He said that abuses and exploitation do not arise overnight and stressed that questions should be raised as to why effective action had not been taken against the homes earlier, despite all the reports received about them.

“Have complaints of abuse become so common that they are no longer treated with the seriousness they deserve?

“The frightening reality is that as long as there is insufficient oversight and monitoring of shelters and homes in the country, no one really knows how widespread child abuse and exploitation can be in such places.”

He said the registration requirements for nursing homes and shelters focus on basic elements such as health and hygiene, food preparation, fire safety protocols and physical infrastructure.

The standards fall short in key areas: there is no formal screening process, no minimum qualifications required for staff, and no mandate for ongoing training in child protection and care.

“When reports of abuse in these institutions come in, it is crucial not to trivialize them. Those responsible for these crimes against children must be held accountable and face the maximum legal consequences.

“It is essential that victims have access to therapists who can help them process and recover from their trauma as they move forward.”