Yayasan Chow Kit co-founder Hartini Zainudin described her actions as “hypocritical” and “lacking sincerity”, telling FMT she felt the minister has lost all credibility as a guardian of vulnerable children.

“I don’t know what her motives are, but it definitely looks like she’s scrambling to show that she’s doing something about the Bella abuse case,” she said.

In a tweet, Hartini told Rina to “stop with photo ops”, and said the minister was “insensitive and clueless on child protection”.

Watch the video here.

She said Rina was only getting involved after Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim and his wife expressed their concern over Bella, 13, the subject of an ongoing trial for alleged neglect and abuse at the hands of Rumah Bonda welfare home founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali.

This comes after a video by Malay daily Sinar Harian, showing Rina visiting the teen at a hospital, accompanied by reporters and photographers, went viral.

One netizen slammed Rina’s behaviour and questioned her inaction in handling Bella’s plight previously.

“Bella’s case has been in the spotlight since July 2021, it’s been nine months. What were you doing then? So-called solidarity with Bella!” he said.

Another netizen expressed her concern that Rina had scared Bella by bringing along reporters and photographers as the teen was not yet ready to meet with outsiders.

Some also called on Rina to explain what policies have been put in place to ensure cases like Bella’s are not repeated.

“It’s more than just Bella, do you understand? You have the power to keep children safe, are you doing anything?” asked a netizen.

Yesterday, Rina welcomed Tunku Ismail’s offer to provide lawyers to help in the Bella abuse case.

Rina said in a post on social media that she would seek an audience with Tunku Ismail to brief him and his wife on measures taken by her ministry.