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Be vigilant about sexual misconduct

KUCHING: “Harapkan pagar, pagar makan padi” (Trust is placed on someone’s shoulder but in the end, the very person damages it), stressed Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah. She was commenting on a former cook, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison plus 10 strokes of the cane, for raping his 10-year-old stepdaughter. “Instead of taking […]

Baby dumping — who should take the blame?

God, that dumping ground of our dreams.  – Jean Rostand, French biologist It saddens me to read reports about baby dumping cases in the country. From 2010 to 2019, 1,075 cases of baby dumping were reported and I believe many more might have gone unreported. Of these cases, 64 percent of babies were found dead […]

Why young mums discard babies?

KUCHING: Stigma from society regarding unwed mothers and lack of emotional support from family members are some of the reasons that lead to single or young mothers abandoning their babies. Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said teenagers were often afraid or ashamed to tell anyone of their […]

Baby hatches save lives

KUCHING: Just last week, Sarawakians were shocked by a baby dumping incident in the middle of the road at the city centre. The issue became the talk of the town and netizens were furious. Many questioned why the mother resorted to such a decision and viewed that she could have just sent the baby to […]

Educate public on teenage pregnancies: Fatimah

KUCHING: Minister of Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah has again stressed the importance of educating the public on the danger of teenage pregnancies. This, she said, included identifying risky behaviours and the available support system for unwed mothers so that they were not alone when they needed help.   Fatimah […]

Mum held after body of newborn found

KUCHING: The body of a newborn infant allegedly thrown down from the 13th floor of a hotel was found on the road behind a bank in Jalan Bukit Mata on Wednesday evening (Jan 13). Kuching district police chief ACP Awang Din Awang Gani said a report was received at 9.20pm when the body was found […]

Fined RM5,000 for throwing away newborn

KUCHING: A woman, who pleaded guilty to concealing the birth of her daughter by throwing the newborn into a drain, was fined RM5,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here yesterday. Magistrate Zaiton Anuar imposed this on 21-year-old Afiqah Azman after hearing the social report and examining a proposal submitted by a Social Welfare Department (JKM) officer. […]

Dev Kumar calls on Fatimah

KUCHING: Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah received a courtesy call from Sarawak Deputy Police Commissioner Datuk Dev Kumar at her office in Baitulmakmur 2 building on Monday (Nov 2). Effective Nov 20, Dev Kumar will be taking up the Intelligence/Operations deputy director post in the Bukit Aman […]

Woman charged with dumping newborn

KUCHING: The Magistrates’ Court here today ordered a woman, charged with hiding the birth of and throwing her newborn baby, to be released on RM3,000 bail pending a social report. Magistrate Mohd Syukri Mokhyar ordered the accused – aged 21 – to be released on bail with her father as guarantor. The accused, from Bandar […]

Baby dumper released on bail

KUCHING: A young woman, who pleaded not guilty to dumping her newborn baby girl in a monsoon drain last January 19, was on Tuesday released on a RM3,000 bail with a local surety. Senior magistrate Aida Montong ordered the 21-year-old woman to be released on bail pending the date of the pre-trial case management which […]