By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Oct 29: Caretaker Minister for Women, Children and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah has called for stronger child protection and support for mothers in crisis after a newborn baby boy was found alive but buried in the ground near a rented house along Jalan Airport, Kapit on Tuesday (Oct 27).
According to the press statement, she said the incident highlighted the urgent need to protect vulnerable children while ensuring women facing unplanned pregnancies, emotional distress or difficult family circumstances have access to help before their situations escalate.
“My position on child protection is unequivocal: the safety and lives of children must always come first,” she said.
Fatimah also urged the public not to speculate about the circumstances surrounding the incident, stressing that the authorities must be allowed to conduct a thorough, professional and fair investigation.
She commended the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) officers who found the baby and secured assistance, noting that a prompt response could make the difference between life and death.
While stressing that no circumstances should leave a baby or child exposed to danger, she said the incident also underscored the importance of preventive efforts and accessible support for mothers experiencing a crisis.
“The authorities must be allowed to conduct a thorough, professional and fair investigation.
“We must not make assumptions or pass judgment on any individual before the facts have been established,” Fatimah said.
Fatimah said Sarawak’s One Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee had helped reduce teenage pregnancies from 3,401 in 2014 to 1,770 in 2025, a decline of about 48 per cent.
She urged women, adolescents and mothers struggling with pregnancy-related difficulties, emotional distress or challenging family circumstances to seek help from healthcare providers, the Social Welfare Department, the Sarawak Women and Family Department or other relevant agencies.
Depending on individual needs and professional assessments, assistance could include medical care, counselling, psychosocial support, welfare assessments, temporary protection and referrals to relevant services.
“Seeking help is always a better and safer option than facing a crisis alone until the lives or safety of a mother or baby are put at risk,” she said.
Fatimah also called on family members, friends, neighbours and the wider community to support individuals in distress rather than condemn or shame them, which could discourage them from seeking assistance.
Anyone who knows or suspects that a baby or child is in danger should immediately report the matter to the police or the Social Welfare Department.
Members of the public may also contact the Compassion Line (Talian Kasih) at 15999 or WhatsApp 019-261 5999 for assistance involving abuse, child neglect, baby abandonment and welfare concerns.
She further urged the public not to circulate photographs, identities or unverified information relating to the case, warning that doing so could compromise privacy, cause further distress and interfere with the investigation.
Fatimah said child protection was a shared responsibility involving the government, healthcare institutions, welfare agencies, civil society organisations and the wider community.
“May this tragic incident strengthen our collective commitment to compassion, early intervention and shared responsibility in ensuring that every baby and child in Sarawak is protected,” she said. —DayakDaily
