GEORGE TOWN - BOYS and girls, some as young as eight years old, have been apparently abused sexually at a children's home in Penang.
A businesswoman, who is also a social worker from a non-governmental organisation, lodged a report over this with the Patani Road police station at about 4pm yesterday. The 41-year-old claimed that the children were raped, sodomised and molested by the staff, the home's committee members as well as its volunteers.
George Town police chief Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said police were investigating the case, without divulging any further information on the issue.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh said he, too, was aware of the claims. 'I have received complaints and reports about sexual abuse in the home and my officers are investigating the claims under the Child's Act 2001,' he said.
However, the home's legal adviser denied the claims. 'We are not aware of anything,' he said at the home yesterday. 'This is really shocking.' He claimed that the businesswoman had earlier brought the mother and aunt of a sister and a brother, aged 15 and four respectively, to the centre, claiming that the children's father had died. 'They had wanted to take the kids home.'
He added that the Welfare Department was looking into the case and that the children were returned to the family. A worker claimed that there were unscrupulous parties trying to smear the home's image. -- THE STAR/ANN
Source: ST ONline
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