DESPITE a seemingly happy ending yesterday (Feb 14) single mother Loh Siew Hong received a rude shock today when she was disallowed from visiting her children at the welfare home in Perlis today.
According to the home operator, Ismaliza Mohd Hisham, Loh was barred from visiting her three children due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases.
“After doing the RTK test, Loh called Ismaliza but wasn’t answered. Loh proceeded to leave a message and only then Ismaliza returned her call.
“Ismaliza went on to say that Loh cannot visit due to the increasing cases of COVID-19 in Malaysia. I questioned her whether there was any instruction stating that Loh can’t visit due to COVID-19 but to no avail.
“We are afraid that this is another tactic to prevent the mother from meeting her children. I hope there is no third-party involved in this case because clearly, this isn’t about COVID-19,” Malaysian Tamilan Kural president David Marshel told FocusM.
Yesterday, The Malay Mail Online reported that Loh has been reunited with her three children following intervention from the Perlis police.
However, Loh decided to allow the Perlis Welfare Department to take care of her children temporarily until Feb 21 pending the outcome of a habeas corpus application filed in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.
“I have not seen them for three years and they were reluctant to follow me initially. They were worried that their father might harm himself in prison if they were to follow me home,” Loh was reported as saying.
“I didn’t want to further traumatise them but when I talked to them alone again, they were already crying and saying they are willing to go home with me,” she was reported as saying.
On that note, Marshel said it was nonsensical that Loh was disallowed from visiting her own children, given the economy is open and a state election is being held.
“We truly are disappointed. As discussed with the welfare home, we have taken the time to do the RTK test, it came out negative, so she should be allowed to visit. We have also paid seven days in advance for Loh’s RTK test,” Mashel lamented.
On why the kids were left at the home, Marshel said when the children were reunited with their mother after three years, they were defensive and reserved. However, there was a significant shift in mood the next day, with the children becoming more accepting and loving.
Where are you, Rina Harun?
To reduce stress and ease the children’s mind, Marshel suggested that they take a “cooling period”.
“We decided to wait for the habeas corpus to be heard on Feb 21 and the mother was okay with it, provided she is allowed to visit them.
“At the IPD, the children could not bring themselves to speak because they were surrounded by the policemen, welfare home officers and the ex-husband’s family. So, they were not comfortable.
“But they suddenly don’t want to allow the mother visit. Something fishy is going on,” Marshel opined.
With that, he urged Women, Family and Community Development Ministry Datuk Seri Rina Harun to intervene on the matter soon.
“We’re waiting for the welfare home to reply officially as well. If Loh is not allowed to meet her kids, we are going to camp out in front of the premises. No choice,” the Seberang Jaya City Council (MBSP) councilor further remarked.
Meanwhile, Loh will be lodging another police report on the matter. – Feb 15, 2022.
