Thomas (seventh left) with the female student, government officers and village community leaders after the meeting.
TAMBUNAN: The Welfare Department will investigate the family background of a brother and sister after reports have gone viral that their welfare is being neglected.
District Officer Thomas Logijin said this was decided in a meeting with the girl who is a form two student at Kampung Mangi Pangi here yesterday.
Her brother is in form three.
“We are satisfied that the explanation given by the student concerned with what is really happening to the family and we understand and will follow up,” he told The Borneo Post yesterday.
He said some options would be taken to put them in a more comfortable and safer place.
“However, at this time they will remain with their family members in the village,” he said.
Thomas also learned that the villagers and the Village Development and Security Committee (JKKK) did not allow the two students to remain in the old house owned by their grandfather, which is rundown and isolated from houses in the village.
He said this was due to the safety of both students.
“According to the community leaders in the village, her mother came from this village while their father is from Tamparuli. The family has five children, two with their father staying in Tamparuli while the youngest with her mother who works in Kota Kinabalu.
“Their mother has asked her two children to live in the old house. However, the villagers, including the JKKK, did not allow it due to safety reasons,” he said.
He said the Welfare Department would investigate the background of these students on Monday at their school.
According to Thomas, after the investigation the department will decide whether to place them in their school hostel or at the children’s homes in Bandulu Tambunan or Beringgis Papar.
He said this was to take care of the welfare of both children so that their future and education are not neglected.
“In addition, we also propose to the government through the Welfare Services Department to provide monthly financial assistance to ease the burden of both students and their families,” he said.
He also denied reports on social media that both children were neglected by the people and leaders.
Present at the meeting were Tambunan Community Development Leader Severius Bruno, District Welfare Services Department officer Joanes Sipaul, native chief Rider Gutang, District Development Officer Laiwon Dalus, Tambunan PBS Youth chief Rocky Jerome Budin, AGARAS president,Michael Frederick, village head Samuil Duraman and JKKK chairman Yatik Mulitin.