KUALA LUMPUR: Police have recorded the statement from nine teenagers aged between 13 and 18 to assist in a case involving a video recording, which has gone viral, of alleged child abuse and exploitation at a welfare home in Taman Bidara, Selayang here.
Gombak District Police chief ACP Arifai Tarawe said in a statement today that a local woman, who used to stay at the welfare home, had lodged a police report after being contacted by members of the public regarding the video which went viral.
He said the 36-year-old woman was said to have recorded the vile acts, which included the children being forced to make money packets and beaten if they did not obey as well as some being allegedly sodomised, so that the video could shown to the children’s parents and also for it to be sent to non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
He said the welfare home owner, a 44-year-old woman, had also lodged a police report claiming that a group of individuals had barged into the home at about 2 am yesterday, issuing threats and trying and to take the children away.
Arifai said nine children, aged between five and 12, from the welfare home had been sent to the Child Interview Center (CIC) and Selayang Hospital for treatment.
“Investigations papers have been opened under Section 31 (1)(a) of the Child Act 2001, Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 and Section 447/506 of the Penal Code,” he said. — Bernama
