created by : group one set 9 semester 1 2010/2011
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Stop the stigma — provide baby care, sex education and safe haven laws — instead?
“Criminalising abandonment encourages someone, already in a terrible situation, to make a worse decision to hide a baby.
“The classical fiqh does not try to legislate against promiscuity post facto, knowing that any such activity would harm the baby. In order to save the baby’s life, there can be no criminalisation of abandonment.
“There must be a safe and anonymous way a parent can hand over a baby to the care of someone else.”
International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia principal research fellow Dr Eric Winkel, on the classical position in Islamic jurisprudence or fiqh, which emphasises saving a baby’s life. Winkel argued that a child was at greater risk if baby dumping was criminalised.
He added that the desire to punish promiscuity must be a separate matter from ensuring the baby’s safety. His article also highlighted a few “baby hatch” programmes which have saved thousands of lives in various countries, including conservative societies. Youths should also be taught to “develop their own filters” to make good decisions and navigate the modern world with all its sexually charged messages, Winkel said. (Source: Focus on saving the life of the foundling, New Straits Times, 18 Aug 2010)
“Government can consider enacting a law to allow a parent to confidentially surrender a baby to any hospital emergency room or any designated place. The parent should also not be arrested or prosecuted.”
Wanita Gerakan deputy chief Ng Siew Lai, urging the cabinet to consider ways to help unmarried mothers instead of punishing them. Ng noted that the US had such laws in response to the problem of unwanted pregnancies.
She also said the women’s wing disagreed with the cabinet’s decision that baby-dumping cases be investigated as murder. Instead, counselling, rehabilitation, and sex education were better solutions. (Source: Baby Dumping: Help and Not Punish the Mothers, Wanita Gerakan press statement, 19 Aug 2010) -The Nut Graph
“The classical fiqh does not try to legislate against promiscuity post facto, knowing that any such activity would harm the baby. In order to save the baby’s life, there can be no criminalisation of abandonment.
“There must be a safe and anonymous way a parent can hand over a baby to the care of someone else.”
International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies (IAIS) Malaysia principal research fellow Dr Eric Winkel, on the classical position in Islamic jurisprudence or fiqh, which emphasises saving a baby’s life. Winkel argued that a child was at greater risk if baby dumping was criminalised.
He added that the desire to punish promiscuity must be a separate matter from ensuring the baby’s safety. His article also highlighted a few “baby hatch” programmes which have saved thousands of lives in various countries, including conservative societies. Youths should also be taught to “develop their own filters” to make good decisions and navigate the modern world with all its sexually charged messages, Winkel said. (Source: Focus on saving the life of the foundling, New Straits Times, 18 Aug 2010)
“Government can consider enacting a law to allow a parent to confidentially surrender a baby to any hospital emergency room or any designated place. The parent should also not be arrested or prosecuted.”
Wanita Gerakan deputy chief Ng Siew Lai, urging the cabinet to consider ways to help unmarried mothers instead of punishing them. Ng noted that the US had such laws in response to the problem of unwanted pregnancies.
She also said the women’s wing disagreed with the cabinet’s decision that baby-dumping cases be investigated as murder. Instead, counselling, rehabilitation, and sex education were better solutions. (Source: Baby Dumping: Help and Not Punish the Mothers, Wanita Gerakan press statement, 19 Aug 2010) -The Nut Graph
Stop to baby dumping !!
First, we must stop pornography
“Youth today can easily have access to such material online, even through their mobile phones.”
Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin, on the link between pornography and baby dumping. He said widespread access to porn and weakened family ties have caused an increase in cases since 2005, which numbered 472 as of August 2010. He said more than half the babies in these cases were found dead.
Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah disagreed with Bakri, saying there was no proven correlation. Rather, the problem was more that women were unable to get their male partners to use contraceptives. (Source: Porn a major reason behind baby dumping, say cops,
The Star, 17 Aug 2010)
Second, stop couples from riding the same vehicle together
“… we want to prevent [incidences]. It’s better [to prevent such incidences] before such things as baby dumping occur.”
“… it’s not that they are not allowed completely to be on motorcycles together. If there are things to attend to, then there’s nothing wrong.”
“If it’s just for dinner, then there’s no problem. But if dinner’s over and they’re still together alone in a car, then that is not right.”
Mazlan Mohamad, director of the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Teachers’ Training Institute in Kuantan, Pahang, on a circular that prohibits trainee teachers of the opposite sex from riding together on motorbikes or in cars on or outside campus. He did not consider the measure extreme as students had not complained.
He also said teacher trainees frequently left the campus in pairs, and that this might affect the sensitivities of residents in the surrounding community who had a different level of “tolerance” for such things.
Trainees caught would not be punished, however, but given counseling, Mazlan added. (Source: College bars couples from riding motorbikes, cars, Malaysiakini, 17 Aug 2010)
Third, stop New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day celebrations
PAS Youth deputy chief Azman Shapawi, on New Year’s and Valentine’s Day celebrations as possible causes of baby dumping because these events allowed free mixing between the sexes. He said the topic would be discussed at a roundtable on solutions to illicit sex, rape and abandoned babies, which PAS Youth was organising on 22 Aug 2010. (Source: PAS dakwa sambutan Hari Kekasih, Tahun Baru antara punca buang bayi, The Malaysian Insider, 18 Aug 2010).
“Youth today can easily have access to such material online, even through their mobile phones.”
Federal CID director Comm Datuk Seri Bakri Zinin, on the link between pornography and baby dumping. He said widespread access to porn and weakened family ties have caused an increase in cases since 2005, which numbered 472 as of August 2010. He said more than half the babies in these cases were found dead.
Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah disagreed with Bakri, saying there was no proven correlation. Rather, the problem was more that women were unable to get their male partners to use contraceptives. (Source: Porn a major reason behind baby dumping, say cops,
The Star, 17 Aug 2010)
Second, stop couples from riding the same vehicle together
“… we want to prevent [incidences]. It’s better [to prevent such incidences] before such things as baby dumping occur.”
“… it’s not that they are not allowed completely to be on motorcycles together. If there are things to attend to, then there’s nothing wrong.”
“If it’s just for dinner, then there’s no problem. But if dinner’s over and they’re still together alone in a car, then that is not right.”
Mazlan Mohamad, director of the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Teachers’ Training Institute in Kuantan, Pahang, on a circular that prohibits trainee teachers of the opposite sex from riding together on motorbikes or in cars on or outside campus. He did not consider the measure extreme as students had not complained.
He also said teacher trainees frequently left the campus in pairs, and that this might affect the sensitivities of residents in the surrounding community who had a different level of “tolerance” for such things.
Trainees caught would not be punished, however, but given counseling, Mazlan added. (Source: College bars couples from riding motorbikes, cars, Malaysiakini, 17 Aug 2010)
Third, stop New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day celebrations
PAS Youth deputy chief Azman Shapawi, on New Year’s and Valentine’s Day celebrations as possible causes of baby dumping because these events allowed free mixing between the sexes. He said the topic would be discussed at a roundtable on solutions to illicit sex, rape and abandoned babies, which PAS Youth was organising on 22 Aug 2010. (Source: PAS dakwa sambutan Hari Kekasih, Tahun Baru antara punca buang bayi, The Malaysian Insider, 18 Aug 2010).
Paying for our fault !
I AM concerned about the recent announcement that those who abandon babies, if the babies die, be investigated for murder or attempted murder ("Baby dumping may be classified as attempted murder or murder" -- NST, Aug 13).
Reports of babies found buried, dumped in dumpsters or wrapped in plastic bags and thrown into rivers have understandably inflamed and outraged the public.
However, inflamed and outraged sensitivities and misguided good intentions would jeopardise the future of hundreds of young women.
Decisions such as these must be based on what is best for the welfare of those concerned, including the mother, and to see that justice is served.
There are too many policies which aim to punish and harm, and few which seek to help and provide support for those in need.
It is not right for us to focus our anger and frustration on the young women who are themselves victims of Malaysian society's neglect.
This baby-dumping phenomenon is a direct result of our society's failure to acknowledge and address our blinkered viewpoint of sex, and for allowing our personal religious convictions to dictate public health and education policies over proven, pragmatic approaches.
We have created a hostile environment where young women who find themselves pregnant out of wedlock have very few places to turn for help.
We have heard, and some of us even support, the call for those committing illicit sex to be stoned to death.
No government healthcare facility offers abortion services for unwanted pregnancies or even condoms and sexual health information for couples.
We have been debating for decades on whether or not to provide comprehensive sex education to our children.
We forget that they grow up anyhow but without the critical information which allows them to abstain from sex, practise safe behaviour and make good decisions.
Somehow, we expect them to know all this and then we delegate that responsibility to others.
More often than not, we depend on blind luck for our young to know right from wrong in religious, moral and social norms.
We tolerate and, as recent events show, have been seen to encourage or "force" underage or child marriages in the misguided and simplistic belief that marriage will solve premarital sex and baby dumping.
The head of Kuala Lumpur Hospital's Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department was quoted as saying that in cases of children born out of wedlock, the mothers were below 18 and did not know they could get pregnant if they had sex ("Three more cases of abandoned babies" -- NST, Aug 14).
Reality and pragmatism seem to have no place when dealing with sex. Yet, we have so little tolerance for mistakes and are all too ready to punish those who are products of our neglect.
Obviously, those who dump babies do so out of desperation and are often scared young girls.
A precious few "baby hatch" facilities and a helpline established recently will not solve this problem instantly.
They are merely band aids on a gaping wound which will continue to fester regardless of this measure.
This ruling to classify baby dumping as murder or attempted murder will unfairly victimise these girls.
It will result in more young women in such circumstances living in fear, and because most of them cannot afford the necessary procedure, they will increasingly resort to unsafe abortions that may cost them their lives.
The men responsible, on the other hand, will often go unpunished.
A person I know of, a young girl of 17, became pregnant out of wedlock last year.
Her mother, who was adamant about getting rid of the perceived shame, was determined to abort the six-month-old pregnancy, regardless of the danger to her daughter's life. Obviously, the life of her daughter meant less than the family honour.
After much persuasion and ensuring the transfer of the girl to a shelter, the pregnancy was brought to term and the child adopted by a new family.
She has been able to continue her education. She could easily have been one of the girls who secretly gave birth and dumped the baby.
As for the father of the baby, his worry ceased when no pressure was exerted on him to be responsible.
This determination to punish seems to be clouded in our self-righteousness and blood-lust.
Policy decisions such as this must be based on evidence and research, which should show that severe punishment will result in actual deterrence.
We are reaping what we have sown. As a result of our continued flip-flopping on the issue of sexual reproductive health education and the inability to summon the courage to provide relevant services for unwed couples, we are sacrificing them on the altar of self-righteousness and misguided ideals.
Ultimately, this measure will not bring the babies back but it will increase the number of victims.
Have we done all that we can to help these women?
I appeal to the cabinet, especially to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, to retract this punitive instruction.
The ministry should consider strengthening its welfare and social networks to provide improved and pragmatic sexual reproductive services to all.
Reports of babies found buried, dumped in dumpsters or wrapped in plastic bags and thrown into rivers have understandably inflamed and outraged the public.
However, inflamed and outraged sensitivities and misguided good intentions would jeopardise the future of hundreds of young women.
Decisions such as these must be based on what is best for the welfare of those concerned, including the mother, and to see that justice is served.
There are too many policies which aim to punish and harm, and few which seek to help and provide support for those in need.
It is not right for us to focus our anger and frustration on the young women who are themselves victims of Malaysian society's neglect.
This baby-dumping phenomenon is a direct result of our society's failure to acknowledge and address our blinkered viewpoint of sex, and for allowing our personal religious convictions to dictate public health and education policies over proven, pragmatic approaches.
We have created a hostile environment where young women who find themselves pregnant out of wedlock have very few places to turn for help.
We have heard, and some of us even support, the call for those committing illicit sex to be stoned to death.
No government healthcare facility offers abortion services for unwanted pregnancies or even condoms and sexual health information for couples.
We have been debating for decades on whether or not to provide comprehensive sex education to our children.
We forget that they grow up anyhow but without the critical information which allows them to abstain from sex, practise safe behaviour and make good decisions.
Somehow, we expect them to know all this and then we delegate that responsibility to others.
More often than not, we depend on blind luck for our young to know right from wrong in religious, moral and social norms.
We tolerate and, as recent events show, have been seen to encourage or "force" underage or child marriages in the misguided and simplistic belief that marriage will solve premarital sex and baby dumping.
The head of Kuala Lumpur Hospital's Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department was quoted as saying that in cases of children born out of wedlock, the mothers were below 18 and did not know they could get pregnant if they had sex ("Three more cases of abandoned babies" -- NST, Aug 14).
Reality and pragmatism seem to have no place when dealing with sex. Yet, we have so little tolerance for mistakes and are all too ready to punish those who are products of our neglect.
Obviously, those who dump babies do so out of desperation and are often scared young girls.
A precious few "baby hatch" facilities and a helpline established recently will not solve this problem instantly.
They are merely band aids on a gaping wound which will continue to fester regardless of this measure.
This ruling to classify baby dumping as murder or attempted murder will unfairly victimise these girls.
It will result in more young women in such circumstances living in fear, and because most of them cannot afford the necessary procedure, they will increasingly resort to unsafe abortions that may cost them their lives.
The men responsible, on the other hand, will often go unpunished.
A person I know of, a young girl of 17, became pregnant out of wedlock last year.
Her mother, who was adamant about getting rid of the perceived shame, was determined to abort the six-month-old pregnancy, regardless of the danger to her daughter's life. Obviously, the life of her daughter meant less than the family honour.
After much persuasion and ensuring the transfer of the girl to a shelter, the pregnancy was brought to term and the child adopted by a new family.
She has been able to continue her education. She could easily have been one of the girls who secretly gave birth and dumped the baby.
As for the father of the baby, his worry ceased when no pressure was exerted on him to be responsible.
This determination to punish seems to be clouded in our self-righteousness and blood-lust.
Policy decisions such as this must be based on evidence and research, which should show that severe punishment will result in actual deterrence.
We are reaping what we have sown. As a result of our continued flip-flopping on the issue of sexual reproductive health education and the inability to summon the courage to provide relevant services for unwed couples, we are sacrificing them on the altar of self-righteousness and misguided ideals.
Ultimately, this measure will not bring the babies back but it will increase the number of victims.
Have we done all that we can to help these women?
I appeal to the cabinet, especially to the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, to retract this punitive instruction.
The ministry should consider strengthening its welfare and social networks to provide improved and pragmatic sexual reproductive services to all.
Girls need help, not jail
We need to seek workable solutions to help solve the problem of teenage pregnancies and baby dumpings.MY heart goes out to the babies abandoned by their young mothers out of desperation.
Society is ready to point fingers at the mother who dumps her baby.
She would not have resorted to such a desperate act if her partner was there for her, if her parents forgave her and if the community showed some sympathy for her and the unborn child, instead of ostracising her.
It takes two people to produce a baby. But in almost every news article about teenage pregnancies and baby dumping, there is hardly any mention of the father.
For all we know, he could be a family member, a married man or even a very important person.
Why is the man absolved of responsibility?
And when it comes to solutions, it is the same.
We talk about setting up a school for pregnant teenagers, a shelter for pregnant unmarried mothers and hotlines for pregnant girls.
What about counselling for the fathers? What about teaching them to be more responsible and accountable?
Now, the cabinet has directed police to classify baby dumping, leading to the death of the child, as murder.
And who would the "murderer" be? The unwed teen mother, of course.
The father gets off scot-free. His girlfriend takes the entire rap -- nine months of child-bearing plus a jail sentence.
I quote from New Sunday Times columnist Zainul Arifin: "It is not a coincidence that the overwhelming majority of cases of children being abandoned after birth occur among the Malay Muslims."
Why is this so?
Unless and until the Muslim community acknowledges the problem and seeks workable solutions, not punishments, the issue of teenage pregnancy and baby dumping will not go away any time soon.
Non-Muslim parents generally do not condone pre-marital sex but they are more pragmatic about it.
They know they can't keep a 24/7 watch on their teenagers.
If their daughter gets pregnant or if their son makes a girl pregnant, of course, the parents will be angry.
But they know it is their parental duty to help the young couple find the best solution, which is usually marriage and financial help to raise the baby.
There is no talk of punishment.
Perhaps there is something to be learned there. Mothers who dump babies need help, not jail !
Society is ready to point fingers at the mother who dumps her baby.
She would not have resorted to such a desperate act if her partner was there for her, if her parents forgave her and if the community showed some sympathy for her and the unborn child, instead of ostracising her.
It takes two people to produce a baby. But in almost every news article about teenage pregnancies and baby dumping, there is hardly any mention of the father.
For all we know, he could be a family member, a married man or even a very important person.
Why is the man absolved of responsibility?
And when it comes to solutions, it is the same.
We talk about setting up a school for pregnant teenagers, a shelter for pregnant unmarried mothers and hotlines for pregnant girls.
What about counselling for the fathers? What about teaching them to be more responsible and accountable?
Now, the cabinet has directed police to classify baby dumping, leading to the death of the child, as murder.
And who would the "murderer" be? The unwed teen mother, of course.
The father gets off scot-free. His girlfriend takes the entire rap -- nine months of child-bearing plus a jail sentence.
I quote from New Sunday Times columnist Zainul Arifin: "It is not a coincidence that the overwhelming majority of cases of children being abandoned after birth occur among the Malay Muslims."
Why is this so?
Unless and until the Muslim community acknowledges the problem and seeks workable solutions, not punishments, the issue of teenage pregnancy and baby dumping will not go away any time soon.
Non-Muslim parents generally do not condone pre-marital sex but they are more pragmatic about it.
They know they can't keep a 24/7 watch on their teenagers.
If their daughter gets pregnant or if their son makes a girl pregnant, of course, the parents will be angry.
But they know it is their parental duty to help the young couple find the best solution, which is usually marriage and financial help to raise the baby.
There is no talk of punishment.
Perhaps there is something to be learned there. Mothers who dump babies need help, not jail !
i dont want go to jail !!
Abandonment of babies and teenage pregnencies !
Assalamualaikum and good morning everybody.... :).. have a nice day !!
Nice to meet you all in this blog. Well, as usually i am here because i want to inform a little a bit thing about this topic.Hopefully, this information will be something good for our.
Last week, i has read some article about baby abandonment and that is what i can take a note.
Usually, UNICEF Malaysia have taking care of media reports about the about the abandonment of baby and be a unwanted teenage pregnancies. The generate of many questions about several way to take for search causes problem.
The convention on the Rights of the child was told that children have nights and responsibilities suitable to their level and age of development. The comunity that caring with them should be do what is best for them.
According to the Convention, we should be get ready to take care of children, teenager or the dumping baby.
Firstly, we must underline the issue of reason many teenagers are being pregnant. This time they have peer pressure, adult hope and controlling of media. They are highly exposed to risky that way to not allowed pregnancies and others. So, to prevent this problem, we must guarantee taht boys know about gender education and respect for women and girls.
Secondly, the services to support girls and boys should be available to preventing or decreasing the unwanted pregnancies. Young girls need guiding from counselor on manner to manage their condition. So they can further studies without thinking hard of that problems.
Last but not list, teenagers should to know about options and services. Parents and teachers should have responsibilities to make teenagers have skill-based learning and the best knowledge to get right choice.
So, what about we? What we should to do? Hurm......think about it. :)
Nice to meet you all in this blog. Well, as usually i am here because i want to inform a little a bit thing about this topic.Hopefully, this information will be something good for our.
Last week, i has read some article about baby abandonment and that is what i can take a note.
Usually, UNICEF Malaysia have taking care of media reports about the about the abandonment of baby and be a unwanted teenage pregnancies. The generate of many questions about several way to take for search causes problem.
The convention on the Rights of the child was told that children have nights and responsibilities suitable to their level and age of development. The comunity that caring with them should be do what is best for them.
According to the Convention, we should be get ready to take care of children, teenager or the dumping baby.
Firstly, we must underline the issue of reason many teenagers are being pregnant. This time they have peer pressure, adult hope and controlling of media. They are highly exposed to risky that way to not allowed pregnancies and others. So, to prevent this problem, we must guarantee taht boys know about gender education and respect for women and girls.
Secondly, the services to support girls and boys should be available to preventing or decreasing the unwanted pregnancies. Young girls need guiding from counselor on manner to manage their condition. So they can further studies without thinking hard of that problems.
Last but not list, teenagers should to know about options and services. Parents and teachers should have responsibilities to make teenagers have skill-based learning and the best knowledge to get right choice.
So, what about we? What we should to do? Hurm......think about it. :)
Effects of baby dumping !!
Baby dumping is serious problem among teenagers in Malaysia. I have several effects of baby dumping here. I wish it could be add for our knowledge.
That is effects on individuals, the baby and society. The first effects is cause by illegal way of aborting the child and left a bad effect on them.
It is because of the wrong path, so they use to abort the baby. This situation will give the individual high risk of death caused by bleeding and infection on mothers womb's.
Women who involved abortion without proper medical procedures take high risks to death. It is because the infection and bleeding in the uterus can cause the woman unconscious or worse death.
The effect of baby is make the mortality is higher due to medical care is not perfect. According to statistics infant mortality by unresponsible personin 2 years ago, this problem had increased 135 case from 2008 to 2009.This situation also cause contempt and regarded by society as adults.
The increased of the baby dumping also can cause difficult for schools because there is no birth registration.
The baby dumping also give some effects to society because it can cause the abortion will be mimicked by others. Most of the cases of baby dumping are using the same way that removes a newborn baby like a rubbish. It can also give a negatives view from society to who has involved this problem.
That is effects on individuals, the baby and society. The first effects is cause by illegal way of aborting the child and left a bad effect on them.
It is because of the wrong path, so they use to abort the baby. This situation will give the individual high risk of death caused by bleeding and infection on mothers womb's.
Women who involved abortion without proper medical procedures take high risks to death. It is because the infection and bleeding in the uterus can cause the woman unconscious or worse death.
women will died !
The increased of the baby dumping also can cause difficult for schools because there is no birth registration.
The baby dumping also give some effects to society because it can cause the abortion will be mimicked by others. Most of the cases of baby dumping are using the same way that removes a newborn baby like a rubbish. It can also give a negatives view from society to who has involved this problem.
defect baby !
Malays most involved in baby-dumping cases !
Police say most baby-dumping cases involve Malays
By Syed Mu’az Syed Putra and Radzi RazakAugust 20, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Police say a majority of baby-dumping cases involve Malays which observers say is the result of the stigma of illegitimate children and the community being ill-equipped to deal with unwanted pregnancies.
While there is no actual racial breakdown available because it is often difficult to determine the race of the babies, police say anecdotal evidence and prosecutions show the majority involve Malays.
Police say 13 out of 65 cases involving the dumping of newborns have resulted in prosecutions. All of the accused were Malays.
A total of 67 cases were recorded in 2005, 83 cases in 2006, 76 in 2007, 102 in 2008 and 79 in 2009.
ACP Hamidah Yunus, deputy director of the CID’s sexual, abuse and children’s investigations division in Bukit Aman, said the actual racial composition could not be given as most cases were unsolved due to a lack of evidence.
“All the 13 who have been charged (this year) are Malays... the ones we cannot solve we do not know, most of the babies found look Malay, but they are actually Indonesians, Vietnamese and Nepalese... we do not know until we figure out who threw these babies away,” Hamidah told The Malaysian Insider.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Welfare Department told The Malaysian Insider that it was hard to determine the identity or race of the babies who were dumped.
“We cannot really determine the race of the babies who have been abandoned. We can differentiate through their skin colour and facial features. But if a baby is already dead when we find them, it is difficult to determine,” said the spokesman.
It is hard to determine the identity or race of the babies who were dumped, says the Welfare Department. — Reuters picCases of babies being abandoned have increased from 65 cases in 2005 to 79 cases last year. On average, eight abandoned babies were found each month this year.
Hamidah blamed the lackadaisical attitude of the parents for abandoning their babies. Some are too young to get married, so they end up dumping their babies, she said.
“Family plays an important role here. You cannot just depend on the government to tackle this issue,” Hamidah said.
Sisters in Islam spokeswoman Yasmin Masidi said teenagers who end up getting pregnant are usually ostracised by society, by fears that they will be punished by the religious authorities.
“So when this happens, they leave their babies,” said Yasmin, adding that the lack of shelters for pregnant teens contributed to the rise in cases of baby dumping.
She added that unprotected sex and incest added to the number of cases although there was no statistical evidence.
Yasmin said that since most of the offenders in baby-dumping cases were teenagers, there was a need for sex education to be introduced in school.
“All this while the pressure has always been on the girls to have sex and they are blamed when babies are abandoned.
“Teenage boys should also be taught to take responsibility for their actions,” said Yasmin.
Malaysian Muslim Lawyers’ Association president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar said the reason why the majority of baby-dumping cases involved Malays was because there was no control on curbing immoral activities.
“They are doing this due to a lack of religious guidance and I consider this a curse from Allah,” said Zainul.
Malaysian Syarie Lawyers’ Association deputy president Musa Awang claimed that Malays often took the short cut by abandoning their babies for fear of being shunned by society.
“There is a possibility that other races do not view illegitimate children as an issue.
“Society will often judge harshly in matters like this,” said Musa.
Jemmah Islah Malaysia (JIM) president Zaid Kamaruddin told The Malaysian Insider that he was shocked by the statistics produced by the police this year.
“What can be understood is that Malays do not practice safe sex, and do not handle the situation well. When they do not handle it well, it affects the rise in such cases,” said Zaid.
Zaid claimed that Malays were often caught in a dilemma of “not knowing what to do” once they were pregnant with child.
“Yes, it is the responsibility of society to tackle this issue but it still boils down to the individual. They need to take care of themselves,” said Zaid
By Syed Mu’az Syed Putra and Radzi RazakAugust 20, 2010 KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 — Police say a majority of baby-dumping cases involve Malays which observers say is the result of the stigma of illegitimate children and the community being ill-equipped to deal with unwanted pregnancies.
While there is no actual racial breakdown available because it is often difficult to determine the race of the babies, police say anecdotal evidence and prosecutions show the majority involve Malays.
Police say 13 out of 65 cases involving the dumping of newborns have resulted in prosecutions. All of the accused were Malays.
A total of 67 cases were recorded in 2005, 83 cases in 2006, 76 in 2007, 102 in 2008 and 79 in 2009.
ACP Hamidah Yunus, deputy director of the CID’s sexual, abuse and children’s investigations division in Bukit Aman, said the actual racial composition could not be given as most cases were unsolved due to a lack of evidence.
“All the 13 who have been charged (this year) are Malays... the ones we cannot solve we do not know, most of the babies found look Malay, but they are actually Indonesians, Vietnamese and Nepalese... we do not know until we figure out who threw these babies away,” Hamidah told The Malaysian Insider.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Welfare Department told The Malaysian Insider that it was hard to determine the identity or race of the babies who were dumped.
“We cannot really determine the race of the babies who have been abandoned. We can differentiate through their skin colour and facial features. But if a baby is already dead when we find them, it is difficult to determine,” said the spokesman.
It is hard to determine the identity or race of the babies who were dumped, says the Welfare Department. — Reuters picCases of babies being abandoned have increased from 65 cases in 2005 to 79 cases last year. On average, eight abandoned babies were found each month this year.
Hamidah blamed the lackadaisical attitude of the parents for abandoning their babies. Some are too young to get married, so they end up dumping their babies, she said.
“Family plays an important role here. You cannot just depend on the government to tackle this issue,” Hamidah said.
Sisters in Islam spokeswoman Yasmin Masidi said teenagers who end up getting pregnant are usually ostracised by society, by fears that they will be punished by the religious authorities.
“So when this happens, they leave their babies,” said Yasmin, adding that the lack of shelters for pregnant teens contributed to the rise in cases of baby dumping.
She added that unprotected sex and incest added to the number of cases although there was no statistical evidence.
Yasmin said that since most of the offenders in baby-dumping cases were teenagers, there was a need for sex education to be introduced in school.
“All this while the pressure has always been on the girls to have sex and they are blamed when babies are abandoned.
“Teenage boys should also be taught to take responsibility for their actions,” said Yasmin.
Malaysian Muslim Lawyers’ Association president Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar said the reason why the majority of baby-dumping cases involved Malays was because there was no control on curbing immoral activities.
“They are doing this due to a lack of religious guidance and I consider this a curse from Allah,” said Zainul.
Malaysian Syarie Lawyers’ Association deputy president Musa Awang claimed that Malays often took the short cut by abandoning their babies for fear of being shunned by society.
“There is a possibility that other races do not view illegitimate children as an issue.
“Society will often judge harshly in matters like this,” said Musa.
Jemmah Islah Malaysia (JIM) president Zaid Kamaruddin told The Malaysian Insider that he was shocked by the statistics produced by the police this year.
“What can be understood is that Malays do not practice safe sex, and do not handle the situation well. When they do not handle it well, it affects the rise in such cases,” said Zaid.
Zaid claimed that Malays were often caught in a dilemma of “not knowing what to do” once they were pregnant with child.
“Yes, it is the responsibility of society to tackle this issue but it still boils down to the individual. They need to take care of themselves,” said Zaid
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