Bella under good care at new foster home, says Ismail Sabri

SHAH ALAM - Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has paid a courtesy visit to down syndrome girl Bella in her new nursing home in Seremban.

In a Facebook posting today, Ismail Sabri assured that the government takes Bella's case and similar incidents of abuse very seriously.

"The government take the issue of Bella very seriously. This case occurred in 2021.

"The government through the Social Welfare Department have intervened by saving Bella and placed her in a care home. This care home in Seremban has taken good care of Bella,'' he said in the Facebook post, thanking the centre for taking good care of Bella and other children under their care.

Ismail also stated many cases of domestic goes unreported among many other complications facing children in foster care.

"Bella's case is among the many cases that occurred but went unreported.

"Apart from the issue of abuse, there are also orphans who are sent foster homes without proper documentation such as birth certificates. There are also many care centres that are unregistered which makes monitoring them a challenge.

“Hence, the Cabinet has decided to form a Cabinet Committee to protect vulnerable groups such as children, the disabled, the elderly and women,” said Ismail Sabri.

Ismail went on to say that he will chair the committee to ensure the government will look thoroughly at the registration of care centres and amend any obsolete acts including the restructuring of the Social Welfare Department.