PUTRAJAYA: Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri revealed that there are parties attempting to "spy" in order to obtain the whereabouts of children rescued during Operation Global, involving GISB Holdings (GISB).
Without going into specifics, she said that all the children involved are in safe custody at a shelter home with high-security measures.
"So far, we have not yet allowed (the children to meet their parents), because if we open the 'flood gates', many will come, including those who are not the parents."
"We have observed that at some of our shelters, there are people lurking outside. We don't know if these are the parents," she said when met after attending the Strategic Collaboration Programme with the State Government: Reform of State General Assistance Distribution here today.
Nancy made this statement in response to questions about the safety status of the children rescued from GISB-related welfare homes.
As of yesterday, 560 children — 283 boys and 277 girls — were placed in shelters after the Social Welfare Department (JKM) obtained a temporary custody order from the court for two months under the provision of Section 25(2)(a) of the Child Act 2001.
Commenting further, Nancy said her department would apply for an extension of the children's protection order from the court if the current period expires before the investigation is completed.
"The first procedure (protection period) is two months, then two months up to a (maximum) of three years, and if it is proven that they are indeed the children of the claimed parents, we will release them."
"As I mentioned yesterday, the mother or father must provide evidence that this is their child. If it is truly their child, it would be easy for us (to release them), but there are cases where the child lives elsewhere, and the person claiming to be the mother is living in another place," she said.
Nancy further said that authorities, particularly JKM rescued the children in accordance with the established processes and procedures.
"When I responded (to the GISB issue), the opposition MP was not in the chamber. Most of them are listening to social media, but as JKM, we follow where the police take us. Our focus is on the children, as that falls under our targeted group, and if the police take us to another location, that is the police's job, not ours.
"We are only prepared when it involves children. However, the police may need to go to places that they know are under GISB," she said.
On Sept 11, the police and various agencies launched Op Global, rescuing hundreds of children and teenagers aged between one and 17 years, suspected of being victims of exploitation at 18 charity homes in Selangor and two in Negri Sembilan.
The raid revealed neglect and abuse against the children and teenagers who were residents of the charity homes.