Rumah Bonda sues Social Welfare Dept to reopen shelter

Its chairman, Siti Bainun Ahd Razali, filed the suit on behalf of the shelter, as the plaintiff through Messrs Asiah Abd Jalil Law Chambers at the Magistrate's Court here on June 7, and named the Kuala Lumpur Welfare Department director as the sole defendant.

The plaintiff is seeking an order from the defendant to remove the seal notice issued on July 12, 2021, on the shelter's premises at Taman Setapak and to use the premises for other purposes than as a care centre, as well as costs and other relief deemed fit by the court.

In the supporting affidavit, Siti Bainun said she received the sealed notice from JKM WPKL stating that Rumah Bonda at Taman Setapak will be closed under Section 16A(1) of the Care Centres Act 1993.

She claimed that the seal action, issued on July 12, last year, on grounds that Rumah Bonda was not registered under the Act, was done unfairly and not in accordance with the administrative principles and law as the department knew that the shelter was still in the registration process.

On April 20 this year, Rumah Bonda received a RM5,000 compound notice under Section 21A and Section 24 of the Care Centres Act 1993, and the shelter paid the compound full on April 25, she said in a supporting affidavit.

According to Siti Bainun, she was disappointed when she was informed by the Welfare Department enforcement officer that Rumah Bonda could only be opened by way of a court order although the compound had been paid in full.

"As the chairman of Rumah Bonda and representing committee members, I promise that if the court gives an order to remove the seal notice, Rumah Bonda and I will not use the premise as a care centre until it is registered under Section 10 of the Care Centres Act 1993," she said.

Siti Bainun said Rumah Bonda still has to pay a monthly rental of RM2,800 despite the premises being vacant since the sealing action on July 12.

A check on the court system revealed that the case management is set before Magistrate Nur Syafiqah Noorinda on June 22.