JOHOR BARU: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has postponed its presentation of a proposal regarding the welfare of children under the care of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB) to the cabinet.
Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said this would allow the additional information in the proposal, including short, medium and long-term plans, and the increased number of GISBH foster children rescued during Op Global to be reviewed further.
She said the ministry needs to provide details for each rescued individual and outline the plans available for them, expressing hope that the process can be streamlined before the proposal is presented next week.
"We were supposed to present it last week. However, we could speed up the process, so it hasn't been completed yet.
"There are still many (of the children) who need to go through certain processes including the identity identification process involving the National Registration Department because some already above 20 year-old, but claim to be 16 year-old.
"To some extent, it interrupted the process as we need to prepare a comprehensive plan to help these people," he said when met after the Early Childhood Education Inclusion Conference programme here, today.
On Sept 26, Nancy said the proposal addressing the care and future of over 500 children rescued from homes linked to GISB will be presented to the cabinet this week.
She said the proposal would outline short, medium, and long-term plans for the children, with input from several key ministries and agencies, including the Education Ministry, the Health Ministry, the National Registration Department, the Islamic Development Department, and the police.
Earlier last month, police rescued 402 individuals, some as young as one, from GISBH-linked welfare homes.
Yesterday, Education Ministry said it has rolled out an educational programme for the children, who are now under government protection.