MALAYSIA has an average of 4,000 pregnant teenagers a year, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry said today.

Citing figures from the Health Ministry, Deputy Women Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh said there were 79,302 cases of teenage (below 18 years’ old) pregnancies between 2012 and 2016, which yielded the average figure.

Malaysian teens for the most part still had low awareness about sex and using contraception, she told the Dewan Rakyat during question time today.

“A survey by LPPKN (family planning unit) in 2015 showed that awareness of sexuality and reproductive health was still low among teenagers in Malaysia.

“Another survey by the National Health and Morbidity Survey last year showed that only 10% of the teenagers used contraceptives,” Yeoh said.

As for baby dumping cases, she said the country recorded 911 cases from 2010 to August 2018, with Selangor having the highest number at 215.

This was followed by Sabah (113) and Johor (104). Baby dumping cases in other states were Kuala Lumpur (83), Sarawak (60), Perak (58), Kedah (56), Penang (46), Negri Sembilan (43), Pahang (40), Kelantan (37), Terengganu (23), Malacca (20), and Perlis (13).

“Of the 911 cases, only 326 (35.8%) of the babies were found alive, while the other 585 were dead. The statistics, however, are unable to reveal whether the babies were from teenagers,” said Yeoh.

She said that 80% of the babies received by the Social Welfare Department were successfully adopted by other families.

She said the ministry, via its Pekerti programmes, had already educated 779,885 youths from 2012-2017.

Yeoh added that the Peka programme, introduced last year, had conducted awareness programmes for 4,698 parents for issues with the Internet and high-risk situations that can endanger their children.

“The ministry also has four safe houses (Taman Seri Puteri, Batu Gajah, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu) for women and their children. There are also three baby hatches for pregnant teenagers in Sg Buloh, Batu Gajah, and Kuching.”

The ministry has 65 social welfare offices, 105 district offices, 49 clinics, and 149 childcare centres to help babies and children.

The ministry is working with Google to develop YouTube videos for children to teach youngsters the difference between “safe touch” and “bad touch”, she added. – October 22, 2018.