S'gor recorded highest number of abandoned babies - Rohani

A total of 697 cases of baby abandonment were recorded from 2010 to 2016, with Selangor having the most number of cases, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim said according to statistics, five states had recorded the highest number of cases namely Selangor (157 cases), Sabah and Johor 84 cases each, Kuala Lumpur 65 cases and Sarawak 49 cases.

Rohani said 91 cases were recorded in 2010, 98 cases in 2011 but it dropped to 89 cases in 2012.

"However, the number of cases rose again in 2013 with 90 cases, 2014 (103 cases), 2015 (111 cases) and 2016 (115 cases), respectively," she said in reply to Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai) question on the number of baby abandonment cases since 2010.

Replying to a question from Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj (PSM-Sungai Siput) on the number of babies left in the Baby Hatch for the period of 2010 to 2016, Rohani said as many as 35 babies were left in the facility.

On the issue of citizenship on the babies stranded at the Baby Hatch, Rohani said citizenship was subject to Article 15A of the Federal Constitution under the purview of the Home Ministry (KDN).

However, she said, the ministry through the Social Welfare Department (JKM) had always safeguarded the babies' welfare by placing them at the JKM institutions or adoptive families, before assisting in the citizenship process.

"This will include managing the application for the late birth registration at the National Registration Department for abandoned children who had yet to obtain birth certificates, as well as managing the citizenship application of undeclared children by submitting the applications to the Home Ministry," she said.

--BERNAMA