Najib thanks Sweden for facilitating children's return

KUALA LUMPUR (Feb 1, 2014): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak thanked the Swedish government for its special consideration which has enabled four children of a Malaysian couple detained there, to return home today.
"I understand, prior to this, it was very difficult (to obtain permission to bring home), but due to the good relations between Malaysia and Sweden and in the spirit of the Convention on the Rights of the Child signed by both nations, they had given their agreement," he told reporters at his residence in Jalan Langgak Duta, here, today.
The children of the couple, Azizul Raheem Awalludin and Shalwati Norshal, who were detained on Dec 18, 2013 on a charge of beating the hand of their youngest son for not praying, arrived at the residence of the Prime Minister at 1pm.
Aishah, 14; Ammar, 12; Adam, 11; and Arif, 7, were accompanied by deputy Foreign Minister, Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin.
Fatigued after a journey of 17 hours from Stockholm, they appeared cheerful when received by Najib and his wife Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor. They also spent time in conversation and asking about the children, who were accompanied by relatives.
They arrived at 7.04am at the KL International Airport (KLIA) in Sepang from Stockholm by a Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight. Najib also congratulated Hamzah for carrying out his job well to the extent that the children were successfully brought home so that their welfare was looked after and that they were not psychologically affected by the pressure faced in Sweden.
"I'm also told that their parents had agreed that the children be placed with their aunty in Kelantan. We will arrange for their trip to Kelantan and if they need anything, we will assist," he said.
He said the Social Welfare Department (JKM) would monitor so that the four siblings would be well looked after and free of any pressure following the detention of their parents.
Najib said the government would also do its best to assist the children's parents, who were still under remand by the Swedish government, in defending their case according to the law practised in that country. – Bernama