The Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA) and the Asia Pacific Pediatric Association (AAPA) said this case was deeply concerning and reflected a lack of urgency by the relevant ministries and agencies in ensuring the protection and care of children.
MPA president Dr Ikram Ilias and AAPA secretary-general Dr Zulkifli Ismail said Putrajaya must do more to invest in the health and well-being of future generations.
“We urge the unity government to promptly establish an independent children’s commission. We also urge the government to seriously consider appointing a Cabinet minister for children and young people,” they said in a statement.
The statement was also endorsed by the Islamic Medical Association of Malaysia’s past president, Dr Musa Nordin.
The three doctors called for an anonymous abuse reporting mechanism for both children and adults.
They also spoke of a need for greater health literacy, including on reproductive health, among children, so that they may recognise red flags of sexual abuse and where to seek help.
“The government must provide holistic care for the victims, including medical, psychological, and social support to help them recover and reintegrate into society, establishing systems for long-term monitoring and support to ensure that they do not fall back into exploitative situations,” they said.
They said any form of abuse would have long-term psychological effects on children, leading to social, behavioural, and even mental health problems when they grow into adults.
On Wednesday, police raided 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan which authorities had linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH). They also arrested 171 people, including an ustaz and a hostel warden.
Among the 402 children rescued, investigations showed that at least 13 of them were allegedly sodomised or taught to sexually assault others.
GISBH later denied operating the welfare homes that were raided and rejected claims children under its care were sodomised or forced to sexually assault others.
However, earlier today, GISBH’s CEO Nasiruddin Ali admitted that cases of sodomy had occurred within the organisation in the past, and said these cases were only discussed internally.