An average of 100 baby dumping cases are reported every year, with more than half dead, according to police statistics.
On Saturday, just two days ago in Kangar, passers-by stumbled upon a newborn child swaddled in a green towel, inside a cardboard box near a hypermart early in the morning. – The Star
credit: The Star
Abandoned with only two soft toys, there was no note left behind to indicate who had abandoned him.
Baby Dumping Cases Reported in 2016
Despite the introduction of Baby Hatches all over Malaysia, baby dumping is still a big problem today.
In Perak A baby girl, with her umbilical cord still intact, was found in front of an ironmonger’s shop at Lorong Perak mid April.
In September a baby boy was found by a 16 year old boy, abandoned in a box in the drain at Jalan Jinjang Selatan Tambahan in KL, followed by another abandoned newborn baby girl, in the same month, covered in insect bites,left at a bus stop in Bagan Ajam, Butterworth.
2 months after that, a baby boy was left in a box in front of a mosque in Taman Melawati in November.
Reported vs Convicted
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim told The Star, “more than 50% of the dumped babies did not survive due to the condition of the dumping place and their fragility.”
And if you study the statistics below, it is saddening to see the number of cases reported, against the number of cases charged and convicted.
credit : BABY DUMPING AMONG TEENAGERS IN MALAYSIA by Nur Falah
In a survey conducted by a Teacher and blogger, she narrowed down 7 main reasons for baby dumping.
No doubt those are legitimate findings, but not limited to those reasons only. It could happen to anyone regardless of age, race, and educational background contrary to the general stigmas surrounding baby dumping.
Smart Student Released on Bail
A student was recently released after taking into account the public interest, as well as the probation report by the Social Welfare Department (SWD).
The accused was charged with hiding her pregnancy and for disposing her baby in front of a house in Johor. The lifeless baby was found in a plastic bag with umbilical cord still intact.
Unrepresented, the student with an average grade of 3.87, pleaded leniency on grounds that she was sorry and remorseful. She still wanted to study and build a brighter future for herself. In the end, the court did not record her fault and did not sentence her to jail. Instead, the court ordered her to report to the nearest police station once a month for the duration of the bond.
Real Remorse
I was really conflicted when I read the news. Are teens today really remorseful and know the consequences of unprotected sex? How much do they know about safe sex? And how many teens are actually aware of the existence of the Baby Hatch? Are they aware that if their babies are born, there are safe places for their babies to go to.
There are better options instead of dumping and leaving babies to die in unspeakable conditions. Majority of the babies never survive. That is a lot of innocent lives lost.