MALACCA: The All Mighty Old Folks Home in Klebang has been sealed following a directive from Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron.
Representatives from the state Welfare Department and Malacca Hospital, and volunteers arrived at the home at about 3pm yesterday to relocate 17 of the residents.
The elderly woman who was caught on video being hit by the caretaker was taken by her family members later.
Another resident of the home is being warded at the Malacca Hospital.
The residents were moved out in buses and ambulances before the home was sealed at about 5pm by the authorities.
State Women, Family Development and Family Committee chairman Datuk Latipah Omar said all the evacuated residents will be housed at the government-managed old folks home in Cheng for about three months.
“We are trying to contact the family members of the residents to inform them of this,” she said at the home.
Latipah said the caretaker had cited stress as the reason for hitting the elderly woman, said to be in her 70s.
“This is a lame excuse which we cannot accept.
“He was the one who was so eager to run the home,” she added.
Latipah said nursing old folk should not be fuelled by monetary greed.
The situation at the home came to light when the video of the caretaker hitting the woman went viral. It enraged Idris and many netizens. On Oct 4, a 29-year-old female employee of the home lodged a report against the caretaker claiming that he frequently hit the elderly folk.
She also alleged that the caretaker misused public donations and sometimes left the elderly folk hungry.
Malacca police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Ramli Din said the 56-year-old caretaker was detained at the welfare home on Wednesday night.
“We have remanded him to facilitate investigations under Section 366 of the Penal Code,” he said.
The section defines punishment for acts which endanger the life or personal safety of others and carries a maximum jail term of three months or fine, or both, upon conviction.
A 44-year-old businessman also lodged a police report after receiving the video on his mobile phone.
Latipah said the state government will closely monitor 25 other privately-owned welfare homes that had yet to register with the Welfare Department.
“There are now 71 registered old folks homes and orphanages in Malacca that are privately managed,” she added.
No comments:
Post a Comment