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.
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.
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