Action demanded over sex abuse reports at boys' home

[hokkien]

Saturday, Nov 24, 2012
MALACCA - The state MCA wants to know why no action has been taken over a slew of police reports lodged against a government home for boys here over alleged sexual abuse by senior officials.

Deputy MCA public services and complaints bureau chief Dr Yee Kok Wa said the Social Welfare Department should ensure the safety of the underage boys.

“I strongly believe that the victims would not fabricate such stories,” he said, adding that some reports dated back to 2004.

On Thursday, an NGO claimed that more boys were being sexually abused at the home. Three students at the home in Dur*ian Daun lodged police reports on Nov 12 alleging that a senior official fondled their private parts and made them masturbate in front of him.

Dr Yee alleged that several senior officials, who were named as the culprits in July this year, were still serving in the home.

He said he was at a loss over the lackadaisical attitude of those in authority over such serious allegations involving defenceless youth, many of whom were orphans.

State deputy CID chief Supt P.R. Gunarajan said police had begun investigations following the fresh reports.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the same individual has been implicated in the latest allegations,” he said.

Malacca Welfare Department director Datuk Daud Arbah said they were also conducting a separate probe on the earlier reports as well as the three which were lodged on Nov 12.

 

[hokkien]

The Star/Asia News Network
Saturday, Nov 24, 2012
PETALING JAYA - Bullying is rife among Malaysian children and the victims have no idea who to turn to.

Those are the initial findings of an ongoing anti-bullying survey run by R.AGE, The Star's youth platform.

A recent study by Microsoft showed that 84% of Malaysians aged eight to 17 have been victims of bullying.

The R.AGE survey, however, found that only 25% of them would tell their parents or teachers about it.

Over half of the victims stayed silent after being bullied, while 83% of respondents felt there aren't enough support systems in schools to deal with bullying.

The survey is part of a campaign by R.AGE called #iwasbullied to address the growing problem of bullying among young people. The campaign will be fully launched early next year.

“Based on the studies we've seen, one of the main problems with bullying is young victims find it very difficult to tell someone about it.

“When they leave school, they just leave that dark chapter behind,” said R.AGE acting editor Ian Yee.

“With #iwasbullied, we hope to get all Malaysians to share their bullying experiences. We want everyone to recall how tough it was for them and remember that they have a responsibility to make sure it doesn't happen to their own children, siblings, nieces and nephews and so on.”

The bullying among young Malaysians reached a new low last month when 14-year-old K. Saravanan was violently beaten to death by a group of Form Two students in Alor Gajah, Malacca.