PUTRAJAYA: No elements of abuse have been found against occupants of the Pusat Jagaan Warga Emas dan Terapi Fitrah Seremban as has been alleged, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
“The hospital did examinations (on the residents) and found no evidence of abuse on them,“ said Dr Wan Azizah who is also Women, Family and Community Development Minister when met by reporters after attending the ‘Brisk Walk’ programme at the Putra Mosque grounds, here today.
The media recently reported that four former care workers claimed to have said that there had been abuse and torture inflicted on senior citizens at the premises for the past two years.
Police have reportedly taken statements from 10 witnesses on the case and it is being investigated under Section 351/352 of the Penal Code.
Dr Wan Azizah said the nursing centre occupied by 12 senior citizens was in the process of closing due to failure to comply with registration requirements.
She said the ministry would ensure the relocation of the residents before their immediate families can take them back.
“The residents of the centre will be housed in a safe place before the centre ceases operations,“ she said.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Social Welfare Department (JKM) Zulkifli Ismail said the new operators who wanted to take over the care centre had to apply to the JKM.
In another development, Dr Wan Azizah called on Malaysians to take up ‘plogging’, (jogging while collecting garbage) as a culture, in which the activity has become a trend in the world particularly in Sweden. - Bernama
