Indonesian women prefer to give birth in Malaysian hospitals

Many Indonesian women who live in areas near the border with Sarawak are choosing to give birth in Malaysia.

According to the Kompas newspaper, most pregnant women in the Kapuas Hulu district located in Badau, Indonesia-Malaysia border, chose to give birth in hospitals in Sarawak so that their children will have access to medical care and be able to enter schools in Malaysia for free.

A 42-year-old woman, Katarina Iba, said many mothers chose to give birth in Sarawak as the state had well-equipped hospitals with the latest amenities and patients received good services.

Pregnant women in the area are said to enter Malaysia legally across the border in Badau.

However, there are also cases where they get their early treatment in government hospitals in Malaysia but give birth in government hospitals in Indonesia.

This is because they want to register the birth in Indonesia.

The newspaper also quoted Health Minister Nila F. Moeloek as urging the women to give birth in Indonesia as treatment and the health centres available now were better than before.

In addition, the Indonesian government has provided the Badau Mobile Hospital with a 10-bed facility to provide specialist services to patients.

"Thus, with these facilities, our citizens need not seek treatment in Malaysia," said an Indonesian medical officer known as Ricky Winata.