The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) will recommend that the Social Welfare Department set up a special task force to oversee registration of street children to prevent mistakes such as that made in August, when a teenage Malaysian girl was sent to the Philippines.

Suhakam commissioner Prof Mohd Hamdan Adnan said the move would ensure that an estimated 4,000 street children in Kota Kinabalu are provided with some form of welfare assistance by the department.

"If these children are not given any assistance or training, social problems may arise later. The task force should get the particulars of the children or their families, especially if they (their parents) are illegal immigrants," said Hamdan who is today completing a five-day investigation into the situation of street children in Kota Kinabalu.

The Suhakam investigation was initiated following controversy over the case of a 13-year-old girl who was sent to the Philippines during a mass deportation exercise of illegal immigrants by Sabah authorities.

The girl, whom the authorities described as a street child, had alleged that she was raped by several policemen while detained in an illegal immigrants' detention camp in Sabah. She was later determined to be a Malaysian and was returned home earlier this month after months of diplomatic wrangling.

Teen in good health

According to Hamdan, most street children in Kota Kinabalu are offspring of immigrants, some of whom are married to locals.

"Generally, most of these children have families. They make money (to help out their families). Some of them beg, some polish shoes and some others sell plastic (ornaments) or cigarettes," he said.

"Compared to before, there are not so many of them now. Their work patterns have also changed. Most of them now work mainly in the evenings."

Meanwhile, Hamdan said he had visited the 13-year-old girl at the welfare home where she is staying while her case is being investigated by authorities.

"I saw the girl and she seems happy there. The doctors have checked her and say she is healthy. (Welfare workers) are now teaching her how to read and are counselling her," he said.

Hamdan said the investigation into the alleged rapes are on-going although the minor had not been brought to identify the suspects in a police line-up.

High-profile case

The Suhakam commissioner said one of the priorities of welfare officials is to secure an identity card for the minor.

"We want to make sure that she gets an identity card soon. The National Registration Department should work faster. This is a high profile case and the Philippines has citizenship claims on her," he said.

Hamdan said the application for the girl's identity card had been submitted following her return to Sabah on Dec 9.

"She was given her birth certificate number when she returned. We are now waiting for them to give her an identity card," he said.

In addition to the investigation into the situation of street children, Hamdan said he had also visited a juvenile detention centre and several police lock-ups to check on the conditions of detention for under-aged offenders.

"In the juvenile remand centre, there were four Filipinos and three locals. We also visited three general lock-ups in Menggatal. We are busy with several reports now, but we will probably complete it in three weeks' time," he added.