Rohani: Welfare Dept will step in as 'last resort'
Published: Jun 12, 2014 4:19 AM | Updated: Jun 12, 2014 4:32 AM
Getting the Welfare Department to take in children involved in inter-faith custody disputes, like those involving S Deepa and M Indira Gandhi, would be a last resort, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim said.
Under the law, if both parents are in conflict and no other family member steps in to take custody of their children, the department will be there to help, The Star today quotes Rohani as saying.
Getting the Welfare Department to take in children involved in inter-faith custody disputes, like those involving S Deepa and M Indira Gandhi, would be a last resort, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Rohani Abdul Karim said.
Under the law, if both parents are in conflict and no other family member steps in to take custody of their children, the department will be there to help, The Star today quotes Rohani (left) as saying.
“But this should be the last resort. We prefer to send children in such situations to a family,” she said.
“However, if there is emotional abuse or the children are stressed out and it becomes traumatic within the confines of the family, we are here,” she told reporters at a forum yesterday.
The minister was commenting on Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar's proposal that children involved in inter-faith custody battles be placed in child care centres managed by the Welfare Department until the courts sort out the matter.
Khalid had said on Tuesday the police would take the middle path in such disputes.
'Khalid knows the law'
Rohani said IGP Khalid knows the law and her ministry or department was willing to comply with the roles specified under the Child Act.
Under Section 17 of the Child Act, a child is deemed in need of state care and protection if there is a risk of emotional or physical injury, or the child has no parent or guardian or suitable person willing to care for him or her.
The minister also offered counselling sessions for Deepa or her children, if there is a need.
“Counselling is our forte,” the minister is quoted as saying.
There have been concerns over inter-faith custody battles as in the cases of Deepa (right) and Indira Gandhi, where the Syariah High Court granted custody to the father, while the civil High Court granted custody to the mothers.
On another matter, Rohani is quoted by theSun today as saying that homeless people are more comfortable living on the streets because they do not have trouble getting food or clothes and the reason for this was because the people were generous in providing food and clothes to them.
She said ministry personnel would be going on their rounds to pick up homeless people and place them in four temporary protection complexes located in Mersing, Jerantut, Kota Kinabalu and Sungai Buloh.
Under the law, if both parents are in conflict and no other family member steps in to take custody of their children, the department will be there to help, The Star today quotes Rohani (left) as saying.“But this should be the last resort. We prefer to send children in such situations to a family,” she said.
“However, if there is emotional abuse or the children are stressed out and it becomes traumatic within the confines of the family, we are here,” she told reporters at a forum yesterday.
The minister was commenting on Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar's proposal that children involved in inter-faith custody battles be placed in child care centres managed by the Welfare Department until the courts sort out the matter.
Khalid had said on Tuesday the police would take the middle path in such disputes.
'Khalid knows the law'
Rohani said IGP Khalid knows the law and her ministry or department was willing to comply with the roles specified under the Child Act.
Under Section 17 of the Child Act, a child is deemed in need of state care and protection if there is a risk of emotional or physical injury, or the child has no parent or guardian or suitable person willing to care for him or her.
The minister also offered counselling sessions for Deepa or her children, if there is a need.
“Counselling is our forte,” the minister is quoted as saying.
There have been concerns over inter-faith custody battles as in the cases of Deepa (right) and Indira Gandhi, where the Syariah High Court granted custody to the father, while the civil High Court granted custody to the mothers.On another matter, Rohani is quoted by theSun today as saying that homeless people are more comfortable living on the streets because they do not have trouble getting food or clothes and the reason for this was because the people were generous in providing food and clothes to them.
She said ministry personnel would be going on their rounds to pick up homeless people and place them in four temporary protection complexes located in Mersing, Jerantut, Kota Kinabalu and Sungai Buloh.
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