Rumah Bonda Denies Human Trafficking Allegations

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Rumah Bonda founder Siti Bainun Ahd Razali has been charged with neglect and abuse of Bella, a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome.PETALING JAYA: Welfare home Rumah Bonda has staunchly denied claims that it has been involved in human trafficking.
“We vehemently deny the allegations and urge any party with information to immediately lodge a report with the authorities so that a formal investigation can be done,” it said in a statement.
The welfare home said it was responding to allegations made by Facebook users Che Muna Din and Ahmad Aliff Ahmad Sharifuddin that it was involved in trafficking babies, which had gone viral.
Rumah Bonda said that besides being a welfare home, it was also a temporary shelter for teenagers and pregnant girls.
“The Kuala Lumpur welfare department also, by court order, sends to Rumah Bonda children without guardians and teenagers pregnant out of wedlock,” it said.
It said all expenses to care for the children and pregnant teenagers were borne by the welfare home using funds from private benefactors, public funds and donations.
Rumah Bonda also said that some confidential information on its former residents and adoptions were believed to have been leaked on social media by a former staff member.
“We did not at any time permit such information on former residents to be misused and spread in such a manner,” it said.
It also said that it would take legal action against those who harass and urge the adopted families of its former residents to make false reports against Rumah Bonda for trafficking babies.
The welfare home has been in the spotlight as its founder, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, was charged for neglect and abuse of Bella, a 13-year-old girl with Down syndrome.
Siti Bainun, 30, pleaded not guilty to two counts of abandonment and abusing Bella, resulting in the victim sustaining physical and emotional injuries, at a condo unit in Wangsa Maju between February and June 2021.
The case of 10-month-old baby Adam Rizqi Abdul Azim, who died under the care of the welfare home two years ago, also directed public attention to Rumah Bonda. However, police last week ruled there was no foul play in his death. - FMT

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