Woman locked up in London to be given counselling

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry will provide counselling service to the Malaysian woman who was rescued after being locked up for 30 years in a house in south London.

Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said, the counselling service would be given if needed as the woman was probably traumatised after being locked up for a long time.

"We are still waiting for information from Wisma Putra on her progress," she told a press conference after opening a Welfare Volunteer Conference here Saturday.

On Friday, local television stations broadcasted news of three women including a Malaysian, aged 69, who were rescued after being detained for 30 years in a house in south London including one who was believed to have been locked up all her life.

A man and a woman, both 67, were detained on suspicion of using forced labour but were released on bail.

Meanwhile, in another development, Rohani encouraged the young to join the welfare volunteer programme to help target groups of the ministry such as senior citizens, single mothers and the handicapped.

"To date, we have 5,108 volunteer members since it was launched in 1995," he said, adding that the input of the young was crucial to help the less fortunate.