Backlash forces mum of chained boy to hide at home

KUANTAN: The mother of the 10year-old boy found chained to a gas cylinder on Thursday now lives in fear.

District Welfare Department officer Salihah Kamarudin said the 37-year-old housewife had locked herself in, refusing to step out of her home in Indera Mahkota since she was released from remand.

“In light of Netizens’ angry reactions, she is scared that people will come and look for her.”

She said an officer from the department had tried to visit the mother, but to no avail.

“She had locked herself in the house. We found out about this when the officer called her and she answered.”

She urged the mother and her 32-year-old husband, who is an army employee at the Batu 10 Camp in Jalan Gambang, to get in touch with the department so that it could help the family resolve the issue.

As for the condition of the boy, who is warded at Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (HTAA), Salihah said he was stable.

“Once the hospital decides to discharge him, it will inform us.”

She said the department was prepared to place the boy under temporary care at a children’s shelter while it reached out to relatives who might care for him.

On Thursday, the boy was found chained to a gas cylinder at his house at 10am after he allegedly refused to attend school.

Alerted by neighbours, a police team broke down the door to rescue the boy, who was lying naked and unconscious on the floor.

On Friday, the boy’s mother and stepfather were arrested by the police and remanded to facilitate investigations under Section 31 (1) (a) of the Child Act (Amendment) 2016.

However, the housewife and her husband have since been released on police bail.

The boy also had a tearful reunion with his biological father at HTAA here yesterday afternoon.

During the meeting, the boy had asked his father to take him to Klebang, Melaka, where the man works at a car wash centre.

The man responded by declaring his wish to look after the boy.

This was confirmed by Pahang Women and Family Development, Communications and Multimedia Committee Chairman Datuk Shahaniza Shamsuddin, who witnessed the reunion.