I first heard about this place from a friend of mine. He described the poor living condition and treatment some ‘unfortunate’ people have been receiving, hence, due to my curiosity I decided to pay a visit to the place.

Rumah Ehsan is a multicultural home for both adults and children. Most of the ‘patients’ who live there have some degree of learning difficulties, are mentally handicapped, or ‘unwanted’ by their family. It is funded by the Malaysian government. Malaysia may be a developed country with high rise buildings, however, what I witnessed was beyond my imagination.

Rumah Ehsan is located after Rawang, and before Ipoh. It is about 1.5hrs drive from Kuala Lumpur. Next to a beautiful golf course.

On entering the vicinity, you would be impressed with the outlook of the building. There are a few sections to Rumah Ehsan. The elderly, adults and children are all kept separately. The elderly were in the nearest driveway when entering Rumah Ehsan. The children and adults section are about further 50m drive up the hill. The adults are further divided according to their gender. I visited the adult (male) and children’s section that day. When asked where the female adults were, I was told that they were further separated in the next building further along the driveway.

My friend gave me a brief tour of the place. I walked along the corridor of the children’s section. There must have been about 10-12 child, each child in their individual cot in a large room. The cots were arranged next to each other, with only 3 feet apart. As i peeped through the window, I saw a child with microcephaly, one with hydrocephalus but mostly were growth restricted. One little child was rocking back and fro as she hung onto the rail of the cot. The building was fenced, even the windows, and there was no adult present in the room. The room was cold and not well decorated. I noticed some rice and watermelon in the black bins nearby, assuming these were left overs that were thrown away. The doors were locked as I tried to enter the building. No staff was around. The children were by themselves unsupervised.

In the next adjoining room, there was about 6 man sitting on a metal bed together, completely naked and staring through the window. The room had a strong stench, smelling of faeces and urine as I walked passed. One man, probably in his 40′s, was seen lying next to the fence, in a pool of vomit and a pile of bloody stool. He looked in pain, and could have been trying to get out or ask for help as he was clenching onto the fence tightly, looking helpless and partly lifeless. I was horrified. My friend dragged me along to the next building. He must have noted the shock on my face. I also met 2 other mentally handicapped person who were dressed and was following us as we were walking passed. I was explained later that these were more fortunate ‘patients’ who have the freedom to roam around the compound. However, they have no where else to go, abandoned by their family, they lived there.

The next block was separated into 2 sections, with a kitchen and washroom in between. In the first section, the doors were unlocked. There was about 6 adults, all in their individual bed (with mattress). I noted at least 2 of them who had their hands tied tightly to the rail of the bed. I could see the scars left behind from the cloth around their wrist. They must have been tied for a duration of time to have these scars. They were also soiled in their own faeces and urine. Some were sitting up in their bed, starring at me as I walked passed. None of them spoke or called out to me. I could not make out any words they were mumbling or humming. There was an Indian man who looked severely malnourished who lied in a crouch position in his bed. He must have been in that position for a long time. He was motionless. His limbs were not moving. All I noticed was the movement of his ribs as he was breathing slowly. His hands and feet were extremely contracted. His skin was rough and dry. He was also soiled.

In the adjoining room, there must have been at least 10 adults who were locked naked in a large room. The room had a horrible stench. Some of them were seen sitting on the metal bed, some were on the floor, and others were by the window. All of them were covered in faeces.

A group of volunteer from Sai Baba Bangsar pays weekly visit to this place. They came prepared with wellington boots, plastic aprons and gloves. They also brought some warm porridge and biscuits. Some of the volunteer progressed to the locked room to clean the area. I saw a volunteer all geared up in his protective clothing, hosing the room down and spraying water at these ‘patients’. He scrubbed the floor and bed as the ‘patients’ were taken one by one to the next room by other volunteers to be scrubbed. I joined them (the volunteers), as both my friend and I came prepared with the intention to do so. I was given a pair of gloves by a lady and asked me to wait in the far corner of the room for the ‘patients’ to come out of the bathroom. My task would be to towel dry them under the fan, dress them, and feed them.

The ‘patients’ were taken one by one to the bathroom. The ones who were dressed were stripped from their soiled clothes. Their hair were shaved using an electric razor and then their body were scrubbed and washed with soap. Some of them were wheeled, but most of them needed to be lifted as majority of them were disabled and could not walk. None of them understood any simple instructions – i.e. To stand, sit or bend. Their nails were covered with cakes of faeces and were scrubbed clean. They were then carried to the floor mat where I was, to be towelled dried. Some were shivering in their wet bodies. My friend assured me that they had warm water in the bathroom. I dried them, and progressed to feed them with the warm porridge. Some of the ‘patients’ were required to be tied on the bench by the volunteers…which I found extremely distressing. I was explained that they would become violent if not tied. Some had the privileged to be dressed in clean clothes. Some were given incontinent pads (diaper). The volunteers seem to know which one was which. I followed their promptings. The ones who could walk went straight to where the biscuits were kept. They were all starving!

As I towelled dried them, I noticed the poor condition each of them were in. Most of their limbs were contracted, never receiving any physiotherapy or any form of exercise. Some could not even sit up. Their spine were contracted to the crouched position. None of them had any dental hygiene and all of them had some form of skin disease and bruising. Some were blistered in their hands and feet as they were left tied to their beds. One man had old scar and bruise on his abdomen, and I was told that they restrained him with a metal chain. The volunteers had some antibiotic cream which I used to apply to their wounds, however, they were insufficient. The volunteers seem to have a routine in the work they did. The ones who had the privileged of incontinent pads were simply put in it .. I questioned if anyone will change them till they return again next week, I was not given a reply. I explained that it is better to leave them exposed rather to have soiled urine and faeces for a week. Their skin was already broken to what I would call ‘nappy rash’. I could not imagine the pain they must have been in and yet not able to verbalise their wishes. Their life/routine appear to be left for someone else to decide for them. Some were given clothes to wear, however, some were left completely naked again. I did not understand the rational for their treatment. When questioned why some were restrained, I was only told that they would harm themselves or run away. When asked why some could not be dressed, I was explained that they would use it to hang themselves. The ones who are disabled and had learning difficulties were the worse off. Their fingers were constricted, their feet deformed, and their spine contracted. They were extremely malnourished. Some were clearly dying from the lack of care and good nutrition. None of them could communicate with me or looked me in the eye as I cared for them or asked them questions.

The ‘residents/patients’ who were more abled and could speak were walking around as the volunteers were busy caring for those who could not. There were certainly some who looked very normal to me, and were just abandoned by their family. Hence, Kuala Kubu Bahru was their home. I wanted to visit the female section, however was not given the permission. According to my friend, what I am not allowed to see could be worse than what I am looking at.

I am very disturbed having visited Rumah Ehsan. No human being should ever be treated the way some of them are being treated, according to the human rights law. Every human should be given the right to treatment and education, even the simplest treatment of a caring hand.

I did some investigation into Rumah Ehsan and some data were available from the website, compiled by the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (Social Welfare Department). There are 2 branches to Rumah Ehsan, one in Kuala Kubu Bharu and one in Dungun. Below are the data from Kuala Kubu Bharu, which was the one I visited – (updated on 4th July 08):

Total of residents at Rumah Ehsan Kuala Kubu Bahru

* Discharges = ? Death

From the website, you could see pictures of the children and elderly, all with happy faces. I have not seen a picture of the site I visited on the website. I doubt anyone would include those inhuman pictures onto the web to be viewed by others. Both my friend and I had our camera with us on that day, however, neither of us felt we could take even a single shot. It felt wrong to abuse their rights, even if they could not say so. They were badly exploited already.

I hope this report would raise the awareness of others to this place and someone would take the interest to advocate for better treatment for these people. Having worked for MSF, I know that this is one organisation who may be able to assist.

Many thanks.

Sook Lin Yap
28 September 2008

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