KUALA LUMPUR: For more than 10 years, some residents of a welfare home in the country were forced to endure several forms of abuse including becoming victims of sexual assault, reports said.
In a special report published by Harian Metro today, sources told the publication some of the boys who were sent to the welfare home were abused using a heated spoon and plucked overgrown grass with their bare hands.
These cases involving the welfare home operated by a famous local company, the report said, came to light following the arrest of a 19-year-old caretaker of the welfare home in Seremban, Negri Sembilan last Wesneday.
Sources said as of yesterday, four police reports were lodged by relatives of the victims who were subjected to abuse, negligence and sexual assault during their stay at the welfare home.
"Based on the police report lodged, one of the residents, who is now 15, was a victim of sodomy since he was 7 by caretakers at the welfare home.
"What is more shocking is these victims who have been sodomised are forced to do the same to their other friends at home as well," the souce was quoted in the report.
He claimed that the caretakers at the centre also neglected the welfare and well-being of the children, to the extent that one child with a disability was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of a hospital after suffering seizures."
"Four other children who suffered burns from heated metal cutlery also were taken to the hospital in the past," the source said.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain when contacted about the case, confirmed that the family had lodged a police report over the alleged abuse and investigations are underway.
" For now, we have opened an investigation under Section 31 (1) Child Act 2001," he said.