PETALING JAYA: The loud alarm of a baby hatch in OrphanCare Petaling Jaya went off at 1.20pm on Thursday, when a baby boy fully clothed in a white and blue two-piece was placed in the baby cot by his mother, with a plastic bag full of diapers and clothes.
The baby boy, who looked about a week old, was brought into a nursery by a volunteer, where he had his picture taken for inspection, diapers changed and fed with baby formula.
He awaits his fate of being matched with adoptive parents, in the week to come.
He is the latest addition to the non-governmental organisation’s (NGOs) record statistics of 77 babies saved through the non-governmental organisation this year, the highest number recorded since its establishment 16 years ago.
OrphanCare Foundation general manager Zakiah A Rahman said higher awareness through their advocacy programs has helped more women with unplanned pregnancies come forward for help, many of whom are university students and unemployed.
“The youngest we’ve helped was a 14-year-old girl, and the oldest is a woman in her 40s and their reasons range from out-of-wedlock pregnancies to financial constraints,” she said.
She said a total of 635 babies have been saved through the organisation since 2008.
“The babies we’ve saved this year are the highest ever compared to before.
“Compared to last year from January to December, we saved 55 babies. This year up till Nov 7, we have saved 77 babies (78 babies as of noon Thursday).
“There are a few more cases where the birth mothers have reached out to us for help,” she said in a Media Appreciation Session at their headquarters in Bukit Gasing, Petaling Jaya on Thursday.
OrphanCare Foundation chairman Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir said the organisation is helping save babies from being abandoned in unsafe places.
“However, I do worry if the rising numbers of babies saved by the organisation signals a rising trend of babies being abandoned,” she said.
She added that the number of abandoned babies recorded by the police may be under-reported as not all cases are reported to the police.
“Only foundling babies are typically reported to the police. It is a crime to abandon babies,” she said.
However, she emphasised that it is not a crime to send unwanted babies to baby hatches or to come forward to OrphanCare for help due to unplanned pregnancies.
“Some people may think that if they put the baby in the hatch or bring in the baby, they will be caught by the police.
“It is not a crime. It is a crime if you abandon the baby in unsafe places, in drains or thrown out from high places,” she said.
OrphanCare general manager Zakiah said from the 635 babies saved, the majority or 505 (80%) are from walk-in birth mothers, while 126 babies or 20% are saved from baby hatches.
She said the foundation has three baby hatches in Petaling Jaya, Johor Baru, Sungai Petani and is currently collaborating with KPJ hospitals in five locations nationwide, as well as with An-Nur Specialist Hospital, Bangi.
“The most recent case (before today’s) is a baby we received from the baby hatch in KPJ Damansara Specialist Hospital,” she said.
She said the babies that are received by the organisation are either placed for adoption or cared for by their birth mothers.
“The organisation also provides counselling for the birth mothers and encourages them to raise their own baby, rather than put them up for adoption,” she said.
However, she said that due to social stigma, a large number of women refuse to care for their own, and put their baby up for adoption.
Out of the 635 babies saved by the organisation, a total of 396 babies are adopted, while 224 are taken care of by their birth mothers and 15 are referred to the Social Welfare Department.
Riza Alwi, Advocacy and Communications Manager for OrphanCare Foundation said the organisation’s role is to help pregnant women who come forward for help, and not to advocate for premarital sex.
“For the women who come forward for help, we never judge their situation, because among them are rape victims or victims or circumstances,” she said.
“It is not true when people say we are encouraging premarital sex as our role is to help those already in the situation, or else they will abandon their babies.
“Those who come here for help have a sensible mind or else they would have already abandoned their baby.
“We help because there are those out there who need our help,” she said.
Faizah said the NGO is organising a fundraising high-tea on Nov 23, at Berjaya Times Square hotel, to raise funds to continue their work to save unfortunate children and unplanned newborn babies.
Among the programs planned is a sharing session by adoptive parents who have successfully helped raise children from welfare institutions or since they were newborns.
Sir Roger Singleton, interim chief executive of the children's charity, Lumos, will be present to give a keynote address.
Sponsorship packages start from RM3,000 to RM20,000, with donations eligible for tax exemption.
Those interested can contact Zakiah at 013-3840421 or Riza at 019-2807977.
