Newborn’s Body Found in Klang River Behind Restaurant in Kuala Lumpur
On the afternoon of 9 May, authorities recovered the body of a newborn baby boy from the Klang River near a restaurant along Jalan Klang Lama in Kuala Lumpur. The infant, found with the umbilical cord still attached, indicated that he had likely been abandoned shortly after birth.
At around 2:05pm, a passerby noticed a small body lodged on a rock in the river and immediately alerted the authorities.
The Kuala Lumpur Fire and Rescue Department received an emergency call via the MERS999 hotline shortly thereafter and deployed a team of eight personnel from the Seputeh Fire and Rescue Station.
Upon arrival, the team located and retrieved the body from the river. The body was then handed over to the police for further investigation.
Police Launch Investigation
Brickfields District Police Chief ACP Ku Mashariman Ku Mahmood confirmed in a statement that the body was that of a newborn male. He added that the authorities scheduled a post-mortem examination for 1pm at the Forensic Department of Universiti Malaya Medical Centre.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 318 of the Penal Code, which deals with the concealment of birth by secretly disposing of a baby’s body. The offence carries penalties including imprisonment, a fine, or both, upon conviction.
Baby Abandonment Cases: A Cause for Concern
This case is part of a series of baby abandonment cases in Malaysia. Reports indicate that authorities recorded 75 cases nationwide between January and September 2024, a decrease from the 96 cases reported during the same period in 2023.
Selangor recorded the highest number of cases with 21, followed by Johor with 9 and Perak with 8. People usually abandon babies at rivers, drains, alleys, staircases, toilets, or garbage grounds.
Experts continue to identify shame, stigma, and emotional isolation, especially among out-of-wedlock births, as the main causes.
Baby Hatch Centres Offer Safer Alternative
Baby hatch centres have been set up across the nation as a means of addressing this. The centres provide women with the ability to leave their babies anonymously and securely without risking prosecution.
Centres equip surveillance systems to alert personnel when someone drops off a baby. The staff then provide medical attention and forward the babies to the Social Welfare Department (JKM) or place them in adoption schemes.
Over 600 Babies Saved Since 2008
Since 2008, the NGO OrphanCare has saved more than 600 babies through its network of baby hatch facilities. Medical facilities like KPJ Seremban, which has rescued 10 babies since 2013, also operate such programs.
The organizations and the government are continuing to appeal to distressed expectant mothers to go for consultation or support and not abandon their children.
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@vanakkammalaysia Body of newborn baby boy found floating in Klang river latest vanakkammalaysia Body newborn baby boy found floating Klang river trendingnewsmalaysia malaysiatamilnews fyp vmnews foryoupage
@orphancare.foundation Baby Hatch? Apa itu Baby Hatch? Masih ramai yang tidak tahu tentang Baby Hatch dan fungsinya. Baby hatch adalah tempat untuk menyelamatkan bayi daripada dibuang.
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M’sian Student in UK Convicted for Hiding Newborn Baby in Cereal Box
Student in Japan Arrested for Allegedly Hiding Deceased Baby in a Container
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