GEORGE TOWN: The Penang Welfare Department has rescued 20 children, including a 15-day-old baby girl, during a special operation code named Ops Abai, which was carried out simultaneously at two premises in Bukit Mertajam on July 21.
State Social Development, Welfare and Non-Islamic Affairs Committee chairman Lim Siew Khim said the special operation, conducted in collaboration with the police, rescued 10 boys and 10 girls from a warehouse located in an industrial area and a house used as an unregistered learning centre.
"The children rescued are between 15 days and 16 years, and the infant was found with her biological mother.
"Upon inspection, 12 of the children, including the baby, were found to have no birth certificates. Six have valid identification documents, and two have been handed over to their closest guardians.
"Initial investigations revealed that some of the children do not have legal guardians and were believed to have lacked basic needs such as food, clothing, and safe shelter. As such, they have been categorised as children in need of care and protection under Section 17 of the Child Act 2001," she said at a press conference on Monday (July 28).
Also present was Penang Welfare Department director Rozita Ibrahim.
Lim said the operation was the result of months of monitoring and intelligence gathering by the Welfare Department following public complaints late last year about children frequently seen entering and exiting the raided premises.
Lim, who also participated in the operation,said the premises were found to be extremely dirty, poorly maintained, and unsuitable for children to live in.
She said during the operation, five adults, believed to be the children’s caretakers, were also found at the premises and they have been handed over to the police for further action.
"These children have various nationalities. Some are believed to be Malaysian based on their identification documents, while the identities of the others are still being verified. All of them speak Mandarin and only know some Malay.
"The children have been placed in institutions gazetted as 'safe places' by the government and are under a Temporary Custody Order from the Bukit Mertajam Magistrate's Court. Earlier, they were taken to Seberang Jaya Hospital for health checks and further assessments," she said.
Following the rescue, the Welfare Department has established a Special Task Force to coordinate documentation issues and carry out a thorough investigation of the background of each child. This will be conducted in phases with support from the Welfare Department’s strategic partners.
"The case is still under police investigation. Therefore, the public is advised not to speculate or spread unverified information that could cause confusion or disrupt the investigation,” she added. - Bernama
