THE ongoing child sexual abuse scandal has shocked the nation. And, it has shaken many of us working in child protection under civil society organisations. The duration and scale of the abuse by Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) is horrendous. It will take many months to uncover the full scope of the abuse and the possibility of a thousand children that have been severely traumatised over the decades. We hope attempts will also be made to identify children who have previously been in their facilities and offer them the support they need.
Of serious concern is the lack of oversight and action by the very agencies that we hoped would be child protectors – the Welfare Department and the police. We now hear that such a vast business infrastructure has not even paid taxes, raising concerns about the Inland Revenue Board’s (LHDN) abilities. It is as though government agencies have had a decades-long blind spot when it came to GISBH. A blind spot that placed thousands of children into a deep dark hell. This may also be true for other organisations in the country.
This child sexual abuse scandal, and other incidents before this, highlight the large deficits in our child protection services. Although this scandal involves a religious body, the issue is primarily one of child protection. As civil society organizations, we have often been expressing our concerns about our weak and inadequate child protection services. This scandal has shown that they cannot be allowed to continue as is and need a complete overhaul.
We support the call from Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki of Suhakam for the establishment of a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI). Only a RCI can restore confidence in our child protection services. Such an RCI should look not just at the disaster involving our services in relation to GISBH but all aspects of child protection. Our child protection services require an independent audit, a transparent assessment of weaknesses and limitations, suggestions for reform with a workable way forward. The RCI should involve civil society and be fully available to the public. Upon completion of the RCI, the findings must be tabled and debated in the next meeting of Parliament, because the care and protection of children must be depoliticised and requires an “all-of-society” approach.
The GISBH child sexual abuse scandal is a ‘line in the sand’. This is not a two-week media cycle issue. Our child protection services cannot continue as they are. If there is no meaningful action and reform then we will continue to fail our children – endlessly. We appeal to our Members of Parliament to support the RCI and be advocates for our children.
The government has overlooked the calls for establishing an independent Children's Commission accountable to Parliament. Creating a Children's Department under the Welfare Department does not address any of the existing challenges or concerns. Essentially, this is merely a rebranding of an inadequate and inefficient service, while children continue to endure hardship. We also ask that the government urgently relook at the Child Commission Bill.
Any and every space that a child is in must be a safe space. We must restore public confidence in our child protection agencies.Only an independent RCI with comprehensive reform will do this.
Signatories:
Dato' Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Consultant Paediatrician, Child-Disability Activist.
Sharmila Sekaran, Voice of the Children.
CRIB Foundation (Child Rights Innovation & Betterment).
The Talisman Project.
Yayasan Chow Kit.
Malaysian Association of Social Workers.
Association of Women Lawyers (AWL).
Women's Centre for Change, Penang (WCC).
Anisa Ahmad - Child Activist.
Pusat Jagaan Kanak Kanak Vivekananda Rembau NS.
Johor Women's League (JEWEL).
Voice of the Children (VoC).
End CSEC Network.
Protect and Save the Children.
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia.
Childline Foundation.
Toy Libraries Malaysia.
Persatuan Untuk Anak Kita (PUAKPayong).
Pertubuhan Amal Rumah Melor (Meru, Klang).
Purple Lily Social Association Kuching.
World Vision Malaysia.
Montessori Association Malaysia.
Play Unlimited.
Malaysian Hindu Dharma Association.
Kasthuri Krishnan, Lawyer.
Women’s Aid Org (WAO).
Vanguards4Change.
ReHAK (Reproductive Health Association of Kelantan).
Sarawak Women for Women Society.
Lawyer Kamek.
The OKU Rights Matter Project.
Wong Hui Min, President, National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC).
San Yuenwah, The OKU Rights Matter Project.
Azira Aziz, Lawyer.
Wilhelmina Mowe, individual.
Dr Wong Woan Yiing, Consultant Paediatrician.
Sabah Women's Action-Resource Group (SAWO).
Kong Lan Lee, Director, Persatuan Kanak-Kanak Istimewa Kajang Selangor.
HOST International Foundation, Malaysia.
NGOhub
Asia Community Service
Kuching Association of Talent Development and Welfare of Special Needs
Associate Professor Dr Wan Puspa Melati Wan Halim, Clinical Sociologist.
Malaysian Collaborative Practice Group (MCPG).
Michelle Lai, Chairperson, New Horizons Society Ipoh.
HumanKind.
Murugeswaran Veerasamy, Damai Disabled Person Association Malaysia.
Malaysian Rare Disorders Society (MRDS).
Persatuan WeCareJourney.
Association for Children with Special Needs Sibu.
Professor Dr Toh Teck Hock, Consultant Paediatrician.
Maizan Binti Mohd Salleh, Founder & President of the Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Albinism Association.
Ng Lai-Thin, Project Lead, National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC).
Sisters in Islam.
Deaf Advocacy and Wellbeing National Organisation Malaysia.
Dr Anthony Chong, Deaf individual and advocate.
Cassandra Sii, Director, SPICES Early Intervention Centre.
Family Frontiers.
