SEREMBAN: Churches step in to assist House of Megaways Care Center where the operation comes to a halt following the arrest of its four foreign caretakers without work permits by the authorities.

As a temporary measure, volunteers from two churches were at the House of Megaways Care Center to look after 41 residents, mainly senior citizens who were unable to care for themselves.

Another non-governmental organization Persatuan Penyayang Masyarakat Negeri Sembilan delivered food and stationed volunteers to help out.

Representatives of churches from the Neighbor Grace Assembly, Agape Community Church Seremban, Revival Prayer Sanctuary, Kenosis Home Mantin, Asiban Community Church and City Impact Church visited the home following the announcement of ceasing operation by its founder Stephen Low.

Low announced the closure of the home after operating for 23 years as the arrest of four foreign caretakers on 23 May had paralyzed the operation of the home.

Low and his wife Candy Neo were unable to cope with taking care of 41 residents by themselves.

Low might also be slapped with charges for hiring foreign workers without permit, he said.

House of Megaways Care Center was founded by Low and Neo in 2002 as a home for the elderlies who have no families and homeless.

The home was allowed to hire foreign workers when it was set up, Low said, adding that the government stopped issuing work permits for foreign caretakers since 2019.

“We have raised the matter with members of parliament, state assemblymen and the government many times without receiving response,’’ he said.

Low said the House of Megaways is not the only center affected by the freeze of work permit for foreign workers but care homes run by non-governmental organizations nationwide are in the same boat.

Delren Terrence Douglas, President of the Association for Residential Aged Care Operators of Malaysia (AGECOPE) said to encourage hiring of locals, the government had frozen the recruitment of foreign caretakers since 2019.

He told Sin Chew Daily that locals are not keen to work in the care sector, which leads to operators in the care industry switch to hiring foreign workers with permits from other sectors, he said.