IPOH: The story of a “nightmare home”, where children were allegedly bullied and mistreated, has turned out to be something of a false alarm, with the two girls who made the complaints back in the shelter home.
Speaking to FMT, Good Shepherd Family Home chairman Jennifer Arokiam said the claims made by two girls from the home, Diana, 19, and Dorothy,15, that they were sent to live at a shack with “strange men”, was a misunderstanding.
She said they welcomed any investigation and had “nothing to hide”.
“There is nothing we want to hide, the people are free to investigate and find out (the truth). What happened was a misunderstanding,” said Jennifer, who has been running the home for 11 years.
On Friday, Diana told FMT she and Dorothy had been sent away to a home purportedly belonging to their father, which turned out to be a shack in Batu Gajah.
They said there were empty bottles of liquor on the floor of the house, and the following day, they ran away and sought the help of an NGO, Persatuan Harapan India Malaysia (PHIM). They also lodged a police report.
Jennifer, however, said the two girls have since returned to the home and that they regretted their actions.
She said she did send the two girls to meet their biological father in Batu Gajah but after seeing him in a drunken state, brought them back to the home in Buntong.
“I then lodged a police report for their safety. They did not return to Ipoh on their own but in our home’s vehicle. The next day they ran away (to seek PHIM’s help).”
Jennifer also addressed claims that they had cut the hair of a Sikh child under their care, Elvina Kaur, 14.
“I explained the real situation, Elvina is disabled, she has a learning disability and cannot manage herself well. She looks normal but she cannot manage herself like the other kids, but this wasn’t told to the NGO and that is how the misunderstanding happened.”
She also said she has made a police report on the matter and against PHIM, and that she has had her statement recorded.
Jennifer also denied claims of any abuse or attempts to convert any child to Christianity.
When contacted, PHIM president M Manimaran admitted that the two girls had returned to the Good Shepherd Family Home voluntarily and that the home has lodged a police report against him.
“When both parties have lodged reports, there is nothing to say, we will leave it to the police to investigate.”
Meanwhile, Perak Women and Family Development and Community Welfare chairman Wan Norashikin Wan Nordin said welfare department officers have visited the home and confirmed the children are being treated well and that there were no signs of abuse.
She said the home’s registration has expired and that changes in management have stalled their renewal application.
“The welfare department is in the midst of completing its investigations before a detailed set of recommendations (for improvements) are issued.” - FMT
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