ONLY one in five babies has been rescued through hatches since these were started in the country a decade ago, out of the thousands abandoned in the same period.

Orphan Care Foundation chief operating officer Yuzila Yusof said the 220 babies left at baby hatches in the past decade are a small number, compared with the police’s recorded average of 100 babies abandoned every year nationwide.

In 2017, 40 out of 100 babies reported abandoned were rescued, while the fate of the remaining 60% is unknown.

Many could not be rescued after they were found left in mounds of rubbish or in toilets, drains or burnt beyond recognition.

“Unicef also believes unreported cases of baby dumping may be seven times higher than the reported total,” Yuzila told The Malaysian Insight.

Many are still unaware of the existence of baby hatches, despite their presence for the past 10 years, she said. 

There is also the perception that those who leave babies in baby hatches would be arrested, further contributing to its unpopularity.

“In the end, we see babies left in the rubbish or at mosques.

“It is not a crime to leave babies at hatches because that counts as rescuing them, but leaving them at mosques or elsewhere is definitely abandonment,” she said.

Baby hatches have been managed since 2010 by Orphan Care Foundation, a civil society group aiming to provide foster families to unwanted children.

How it works

There are currently three such baby shelters in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya, Johor Baru and Sg Petani, Kedah.

Orphan Care has also been working with KPJ private hospitals since 2014, which also places baby hatches at some of its hospitals.

The Orphan Care office in Petaling Jaya is a house in a residential area and the baby hatch is placed outside. It is the same in Kedah and Johor.

Yuzila said the hatches are equipped with CCTV and air-conditioning for the baby’s comfort and safety.

“The moment the baby is placed, lights turn on and the hatch’s door automatically locks shut.

“We can see the baby placed inside. We do not look for who placed the baby and they need not worry about their privacy,” she said, demonstrating the system.

Orphan Care places reminders for those leaving babies to fill out a form at the side of the box so that there is enough information to facilitate the adoption process. This includes identifying the child’s religious background.

“It is important, so we encourage people to leave whatever markers they can with the baby. Some leave Buddhist icons or Christian crosses, so we can identify the baby’s religion.”

Babies without any identification are automatically classified as Muslim, she said.

Based on the foundation’s statistics, there have been 10 babies automatically classified as Muslim because of a lack of identification, with 52 others being cases of unidentified nationality.

“This is why documents are important. If we see people leaving babies, we will stop them – not to arrest or judge them but to seek documentation.”

There are also cases where parents who leave their babies there, return the next day for them.

Finding new families

Orphan Care’s goal is to have all babies rescued fostered by new families and to date, 63% of babies have new homes.

“Babies stay at the centre for a week or two before being sent to foster families.”

The foundation receives many applications for adoption and must vet the applicants, she said.

Families who apply go through a gauntlet of interviews and background checks, including training for potential parents to ensure they are ready to care for a child.

Yuzila said the foundation doesn’t charge adoption fees, except for an administrative cost of RM1,000.

“However, circumstances differ if the babies come from orphanages or shelters for pregnant teenagers.”

The foundation also shelters pregnant teenagers and cares for orphans, she said.

Most of those who leave their babies at the centre are teenagers and youth, she said.

“They are mostly university students, represented equally by all the races.”

She said a college student once gave birth in her car on her way to the shelter.

“The student rested only a day after her child’s birth before going back to college.”

Research by the global school-based student health survey and the National Population and Family Development Board shows that sexual activity among those aged 13 to 17 increased from 0.9% in 1994 to 8.3% in 2012.

World Health Organisation data shows Malaysia at fourth place out of 10 countries for pregnancies among those aged 15 to 19, from 2005 to 2011.

Islamic Development Department statistics show 81,000 children out of wedlock registered since 2011.

Sex education

Yuzila said it is time for parents to become more open to early sex education in school and that many cases of unwed parents are because of teenagers’ lack of education about sex.

However, sex education is still taboo in Malaysia, with Muslims here perceiving it as an endorsement of teen sex outside marriage. Even the foundation’s baby hatches are viewed similarly.

“People say that we encourage unmarried sexual relations when, in fact, we are the last line of defence. We want to rescue, not encourage. Sex education should be given early.

“Religion is important but some cases involve even girls who are wear hijab. This means that they have not been educated properly and don’t know the consequences of having sex. We don’t want them to learn in the wrong place.”

Yuzila said the foundation hopes to start operating at government hospitals, as they could reach interior areas better, where many cases of baby-dumping occur. – June 9, 2019.