KOTA KINABALU: The Community Development and Consumer Affairs Ministry will meet the mother of a 15-year-old physically-challenged Sabahan teenager who was found covered in his own faeces and urine in Negeri Sembilan on Saturday.
Its minister, Datuk Jainab Ahmad Ayid, said they would offer counselling to the mother of Muhammad Firdaus Dullah whom she believed is facing a very stressful situation.
“Although her negligence is unacceptable by any standard, our priority now is to ensure the boy is safe.
“There is no time for us to blame the mother for her negligence because we have a better task to ensure that no parents hide their disabled children. It is up to the Welfare Department in the particular state whether to take action against the mother or not, but my ministry will be meeting them to request for us to meet the mother,” she said during the launching of the state-level Childcare Providers Day at Magellan Sutera Harbour here yesterday..
Jainab said the discovery of Muhammad Firdaus in such a pathetic state was a wake-up call to the public to be more sensitive about their surroundings.
She said parents with disabled children should not feel embarrassed to come forward to register their child with the Welfare Department.
Jainab stressed that parents with disabled children should know that there are several options for them to ensure their special needs children can receive the best education to ensure they are able to be independent.
“There were many previous stories where parents with disabled children felt isolated, helpless and alone. I am sure this is still happening, and we need to address this.
“People are more open minded nowadays and there is no need to be embarrassed. They can send their children to government aided rehabilitation centre, where they will learn basic living skills such as putting on and taking off clothes and shoes, doing up buttons or zips and so on.
“The government is always there to help, but of course the children must have documents,” she said.
Jainab added that children without proper documents would have problems receiving aid from the government because of the existing system.
She urged parents to register their child within a week after birth to avoid any delays and problems in making their birth certificate.
Meanwhile, police in Seremban have obtained an order to remand the mother of Muhammad Firdaus until Wednesday.
Nilai district police Supt Abdullah Roning said the woman, who is also from Sabah, was detained at the flat in Taman Semarak, Nilai, on Saturday.
Police are investigating the case from all aspects, he said.
Negeri Sembilan Immigration Director Faizal Fazri Othman stumbled on Muhammad Firdaus while carrying out an integrated operation, ‘Ops 6P’, at the low cost flats in Nilai.
The boy was found weak and emaciated in a room that was littered with soil and faeces.
He is now placed at the Tuanku Jaafar Hospital here for treatment.
Faizal Fazri, who visited the boy at the hospital yesterday, said Muhammad Firdaus responded when his name was called.
Meanwhile, Muhammad Firdaus’ former maid, Norfitri Radius, said she took care of the boy from 2003 until 2011 when she got married and followed her husband to Gemencheh.
“When I took care of him before, he was fat and was learning to stand and speak.
“I took care of him for eight years and regarded him like my own child,” said Norfitri who also visited the boy at the hospital yesterday.