A group of volunteers today spoke in defence of the controversial Mercy Welfare home and its president Indra Shan saying that allegations of inmate abuse were baseless.

"Adults and children alike were happy, well-fed and taken care of," said social worker Beatrice Eric when testifying at an inquiry initiated by the Human Rights Commission, Suhakam.

Eric told Suhakam commissioner Prof Hamdan Adnan that she spent a lot of time counseling and playing with the children. "They were always happy".

The inquiry held at the commission headquarters in Kuala Lumpur commenced following a complaint lodged by ex-volunteers early this month alleging that children and adults in the home were beaten and denied medical treatment.

Today's inquiry, which is the third session, heard the testimonies of 24 people.

Among them were kindergarten principal Ammini Verghese who said that five children from the home who attended her kindergarten appeared healthy and showed no signs of abuse or neglect.

"They were well-behaved, well-fed, well-looked after and very active children," she said, adding that the children brought "good snacks every day like butter cookies, wafers and buns".

No complaints

A worker with the home which is situated in Kuala Lumpur, V Sitivinaganan, told the inquiry that the inmates were not ill treated.

"My wife and I spend time with the residents almost every fortnight talking to them and I often buy provisions for them. The residents have never complained of abuse," he said.

Meanwhile, Indra's counsel Jerald Allen Gomez said his client who was supposed to testify today, requested that her testimony be recorded after the commission hears the accounts of the other witnesses.

Commissioner Hamdan agreed and told Indra who was present that she will testify on Sept 6.

The inquiry also heard a contradicting testimony from the father of two inmates who alleged that his son was physically abused.

Lorry driver M Letchumanan said when he wanted to take back his children, Indra refused to permit him access.

"My children were placed in the home because we had problems but when I wanted to take them back, she did not allow me.

"She had hit my son and had put him in a small cell," claimed Letchumanan.

Account discrepancies

During Suhakam's earlier inquiry into the matter, ex-volunteers claimed that the children in the home were suffering from scabbies and they were not allowed to attend school.

The commission had also heard testimonies from Social Welfare department officials and the Registrar of Societies (ROS).

An official from the Mercy Welfare Society, which manages the home, also testified today concerning allegations that there were discrepancies in the home's accounts.

Society general secretary Ernest Miller refuted the claim and revealed that funds for the home were deposited into a bank account on Sept last year, more than a year after the society was registered with the Registrar of Societies.

"Mercy Welfare was registered as a society in April 1999 but we did not function as such in terms of holding an annual general meeting or declaring our accounts.

"We however realised the legal requirements when we started receiving funds from the public after reports on Indra's good work came out in the press," said Miller.

The accounts are being audited by an independent auditor from a certified public accountant firm, he added.

On August 17, the ROS stated that Mercy Welfare Society would have its license revoked as it had not complied with regulations such as submitting its annual report.

On an unrelated matter, Hamdan told reporters after the inquiry that a report on his visit to the Kamunting Detention Centre at Taiping, Perak was ready and would be brought to the attention of his fellow commissioners soon.

On July 3, Hamdan visited the centre which primarily serves to hold Internal Security Act detainees. The visit was part of the commission's programme to visit places of detention.