Baby Hatch_3

SUMBER:
INTERNET
OrphanCARE Baby Hatch
HRH Sultanah Pahang Sultanah Kalsom launched Malaysia’s first baby hatch and
OrphanCARE’s operations centre on 29th May 2010. Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Jalil, Minister of
Women, Family & Community Development and Dato’ Adnan Mohd Tahir, President of
OrphanCARE were also present to officiate the launch.
It is heart-wrenching to read about and see pictures of abandoned babies, many of whom are
left to die in places such as toilets and rubbish bins. In Malaysia, the incidence of abandoned
babies is reported to be about 100 cases per year. However the actual number of babies that
are abandoned is not really known and is estimated to be higher than that. Reported cases may
be just the tip of the iceberg; with a large proportion of “hidden” cases whereby the babies are
given up for adoption and managed in a private and illegal manner by those who offer refuge.
With the establishment of the Baby Hatch at OrphanCARE’s premises, it is hoped that there will
be a reduction in the number of babies abandoned in unsafe places. Our aim is to discourage
women, especially young unwed mothers who have nowhere to turn to for help, from
abandoning their babies by providing the assurance that their babies would be placed with
caring parents.
How the Baby Hatch works
An online demonstration of the state-of-art baby hatch can be viewed from the following blog
link: Baby Hatch demonstration
Goverment Support
OrphanCARE has the support of the Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development and
is in fact working closely with the Ministry. The Ministry is establishing a task force to review and
update the Adoption Acts, Registration Act etc and has invited OrphanCARE to be part of the
task force. OrphanCARE also intends to work with other Government departments, NGOs, the
media and members of the public to help reduce the number of orphans living in orphanages
and abandoned babies in Malaysia.
Copyright © OrphanCare. All Rights Reserved. Sponsored by Jo Tan.
Sumber : http://www.orphancare.org.my
Tarikh Akses : 20 September 2011
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ARKIB : 02/03/2010
OrphanCare lindungi bayi dibuang
Oleh NOOR FAZRINA KAMAL
Gambar IZHAM JAAFAR
APABILA dari semasa ke semasa media
melaporkan tentang kes bayi dibuang dengan
keadaan yang menyayat hati, pelbagai
perasaan melanda masyarakat.
Marah, sedih, geram dan sebagainya. Pendek
kata kita akan terus diselubungi kekecewaan
kerana perkara tersebut sudah pun berlarutan
sekian lama.
Sebagai ahli masyarakat, walaupun perkara
tersebut berlaku bukan di kalangan ahli
keluarga sendiri, tempiasnya tetap terasa.
Jepun antara negara yang mempunyai Baby
Hatch bagi memberi perlindungan kepada
bayi yang tidak mampu dijaga oleh ibu
mereka. - Gambar hiasan
Justeru apa yang boleh kita mampu lakukan
untuk membendung gejala keji ini? Jika
keterlanjuran sudah berlaku apakah yang boleh dilakukan supaya nyawa yang lahir ke dunia ini
tidak diragut dalam keadaan yang amat menyedihkan?
Di negara luar seperti di Jepun dan Jerman sebuah pusat khas yang dikenali dengan istilah
Baby Hatch ditubuhkan bagi memberi sokongan kepada ibu tunggal yang tidak boleh
membesarkan anak mereka sendiri.
Di pusat-pusat perlindungan itu, bayi akan diletakkan dalam jagaan pengasuh hinggalah ada
pasangan suami isteri atau keluarga yang tampil untuk mengambil mereka sebagai anak
angkat.
Di Malaysia, sebuah pertubuhan beroperasi tanpa berasaskan keuntungan yang diberi nama
OrphanCare yang fungsinya hampir sama seperti Baby Hatch, diwujudkan bertujuan untuk
memberikan kasih sayang sebuah keluarga kepada anak-anak yatim dan juga bayi-bayi yang
terbuang.
Menurut Presidennya, Datuk Adnan Mohd. Tahir, OrphanCare kini hampir selesai menyiapkan
sebuah pusat perlindungan bayinya sendiri (baby hatch) di Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Usaha itu katanya, akan diperluaskan di seluruh negeri di tanah air.
"Pusat perlindungan ini akan memberikan perlindungan yang sebaiknya untuk bayi yang tidak
mahu dijaga oleh ibu mereka sendiri.
1 "Saya kira hal ini (pembinaan pusat perlindungan bayi) lebih baik daripada melihat bayi dibuang
di dalam longkang, tong sampah atau di merata-rata tempat," jelas beliau ketika ditemui barubaru ini.
Ketika ditanya adakah penubuhan pusat ini akan mencetus kontroversi apabila masyarakat
mungkin melihatnya sebagai menggalakkan lebih banyak kelahiran bayi luar nikah, Adnan
menyangkal andaian tersebut.
Sebaliknya beliau berpendapat, pusat tersebut harus dilihat sebagai alternatif bagi
membendung kejadian pembuangan bayi.
"Apa yang dilaporkan dalam media dan yang diketahui masyarakat sebenarnya jumlahnya kecil
berbanding jumlah sebenar yang berlaku.
"Kita tidak mahu nasib bayi-bayi ini dibiarkan begitu sahaja. Di luar sana ramai pasangan suami
isteri yang tidak dikurniakan cahaya mata sanggup mengambil bayi malang itu sebagai anak
angkat.
"Bayi yang tidak berdosa tidak sepatutnya mati hanya kerana si ibu tidak tahu kemana arah
yang ingin dituju selepas melahirkan anak tersebut," jelas beliau lagi.
Mengenai urusan pengambilan anak angkat yang diletakkan di bawah perlindungan
OrphanCare beliau berkata, pihak akan membantu menguruskan pelbagai urusan seperti
dokumentasi yang biasanya mengambil masa paling lama hingga seminggu.
"Setakat ini kami telah menguruskan sebanyak lima bayi kepada keluarga angkat masingmasing.
"Bagi saya, rumah-rumah anak yatim patut dianggap sebagai satu tempat kediaman transit bagi
anak-anak yatim sebelum diambil sebagai anak angkat.
Setiap bayi perlu membesar dengan keluarga
Tujuan utama penubuhan OrphanCare adalah untuk memastikan setiap kanak-kanak yang
dilahirkan tidak mengira apa juga latar belakang agama atau bangsa mereka mendapatkan
keluarga yang sesuai melalui proses pengambilan anak angkat yang cepat dan teratur.
"Kami mahu mengubah pemikiran dan tanggapan masyarakat terhadap anak-anak ini apabila
masyarakat seringkali beranggapan bahawa mereka sepatutnya ditinggalkan di rumah anakanak yatim atau kebajikan untuk selama-lamanya.
"OrphanCare adalah pusat transit atau penempatan sementara sebelum anak-anak ini dijaga
oleh keluarga angkat masing-masing dan sekali gus memberi peluang kepada mereka
membesar dalam sebuah institusi kekeluargaan yang sempurna.
"Dalam pada itu kami akan membina sebuah pangkalan data di mana segala maklumat lengkap
mengenai anak-anak ini dan keluarga-keluarga mereka direkodkan.
2 "Pangkalan data ini juga bagi memudahkan OprphanCare memadankan anak-anak tersebut
dengan keluarga yang sesuai selain menyediakan khidmat kaunseling sebelum dan selepas
pengambilan anak angkat untuk kedua-dua pihak iaitu anak dan keluarga angkat," katanya.
Dengan cara ini menurut Adnan, OrphanCare juga dapat membuat pemantauan yang
berterusan untuk memastikan proses pengambilan anak angkat berjalan dengan lancar.
Selain itu pusat tersebut juga akan melantik pegawai pemantau untuk melihat keadaan keluarga
dan anak yang telah diamanahkan agar mereka dijaga dengan baik.
"Kami sebuah NGO Islam yang mementingkan pengambilan anak angkat mengikut cara Islam.
Justeru kami turut menyediakan seorang pakar rujuk yang terdiri daripada ustaz untuk memberi
khidmat nasihat tentang urusan agama berkaitan anak angkat ini," ujar Adnan lagi.
OrphanCare juga telah menandatangani memorandum persefahaman dengan Kementerian
Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat pada bulan Ogos tahun lalu dalam kerja sama
hal pengambilan anak angkat dan ibu bapa angkat.
Bagi ibu bapa yang ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai pusat tersebut boleh melayari
laman web www.orphancare.org.my.
ARKIB : 16/05/2011
Orphan Care selamatkan 30 bayi
PETALING JAYA 15 Mei - Sebanyak 30 bayi yang tidak diingini ibu bapa mereka telah
ditinggalkan di ruang khas yang diwujudkan Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak-anak
Yatim Kuala Lumpur (Orphan Care) sejak Mei tahun lalu.
Presiden Orphan Care, Tan Sri Faizah Mohd. Tahir berkata, bayi yang ditinggalkan di ruang
khas dikenali 'pelindung bayi' itu kini mendapat pembelaan dan selamat dijaga oleh ibu bapa
angkat masing-masing.
"Kita tidak menyangka bayi yang dihantar kepada kami boleh mencapai jumlah seramai itu,
namun sekurang-kurangnya kita telah menyelamatkan mereka daripada dibuang.
"Pada masa ini terdapat 600 permohonan untuk mengambil bayi yang ditinggalkan di
pertubuhan kami sebagai anak angkat," katanya pada sidang akhbar sempena ulang tahun
pertama penubuhan pelindung bayi yang ditempatkan di pejabat pertubuhan itu di No. 6, Lorong
SS1/24A, Kampung Tunku di sini.
3 ARKIB : 20/08/2010
Wujud lebih banyak kemudahan perlindungan bayi
20/08/2010 6:12pm
KUALA LUMPUR 20 Ogos - OrphanCARE, sebuah pertubuhan yang bertanggungjawab untuk
kemudahan memelihara bayi yang pertama di negara ini, menggesa kerajaan mewujudkan
lebih banyak kemudahaan seperti itu.
Setiausahanya, Azra Banu berkata, cadangan itu telah dikemukakan kepada Kementerian
Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Msyarakat pada bulan lepas.
Bercakap kepada Bernama di sini, beliau berkata, pihaknya juga mengkaji untuk mewujudkan
kemudahan itu di hospital, klinik bersalin dan bangunan majlis bandar raya yang dibuka 24 jam
setiap hari.
Katanya, OrphanCARE menerima bayi ketujuhnya semalam sejak ia dibuka pada 29 Mei lepas
dan enam bayi yang diterima sebelum itu telah dijadikan anak angkat oleh pasangan yang
dipilih oleh pertubuhan tersebut. - Bernama
ARKIB : 30/06/2010
Lagi dua bayi lelaki dibuang
Oleh ASSIM HASSAN dan FARABI SHEIKH SAID AL JABRI
[email protected]
KUALA LUMPUR 29 Jun - Jika Sabtu lalu, seorang bayi lelaki bernasib baik diserahkan satu
pasangan di pusat perlindungan bayi di Petaling Jaya, berbeza pula kejadian menimpa dua si
kecil ini.
Kedua-duanya dibuang ibu mereka tanpa belas kasihan iaitu di belakang sebuah rumah di
Taman Mawar, Rawang, dekat sini manakala seorang lagi di atas tong sampah di Taman Sri
Pulai 3, Sikamat dekat Seremban.
Dalam kedua-dua kejadian hari ini, mujurlah kedua-dua bayi lelaki malang tersebut yang masih
bertali pusat dapat diselamatkan oleh insan-insan prihatin.
Ibu-ibu kepada bayi-bayi itu juga berjaya ditahan hasil maklumat dan tindakan pantas pihak
polis.
4 Dalam kejadian di Rawang, kehadiran bayi itu disedari seorang wanita yang terdengar tangisan
di belakang rumahnya di Taman Mawar, lalu membuat laporan polis.
Hasil maklumat, polis berjaya menahan remaja perempuan berusia 18 tahun yang dipercayai
ibu bayi itu.
Ketika ditemui oleh Jamilah Nazardin, 40-an, pada pukul 9.30 pagi, bayi malang itu hanya
beralaskan daun pisang tanpa dibalut dengan seurat benang menyebabkannya kesejukan.
Ketua Polis Daerah Gombak, Asisten Komisioner Abdul Rahim Abdullah berkata, beberapa
anggota peronda telah ke lokasi dan menemui bayi itu.
Katanya, pemeriksaan mendapati, bayi lelaki seberat 2.7 kilogram itu, cukup sifat dan masih
bertali pusat semasa dibuang.
"Pemeriksaan di lokasi itu turut menemui uri bayi tersebut," katanya ketika dihubungi Utusan
Malaysia di sini hari ini.
Sabtu lalu, seorang bayi lelaki seberat 2.7 kilogram yang dilahirkan pada hari sebelumnya,
menjadi bayi pertama diserahkan kepada Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim
(OrphanCare).
Pusat itu diwujudkan sebagai Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini yang julung kali dilancarkan di
negara ini pada 29 Mei lalu.
Bayi itu diserahkan oleh ibu bapanya berusia awal 20-an yang masih belum berkahwin dan
merahsiakan kandungannya daripada pengetahuan keluarga dan rakan masing-masing.
Abdul Rahim berkata, hasil siasatan, pihaknya telah menahan seorang remaja perempuan di
sebuah rumah di taman perumahan sama.
"Semasa ditahan, remaja yang dipercayai ibu bayi itu sedang berehat di rumah ibu saudaranya
yang berusia 40-an.
"Dia dipercayai melahirkan bayi itu di rumah ibu saudaranya awal pagi ini sebelum
membuangnya di belakang rumah saksi," katanya.
Difahamkan, remaja itu yang beralamat di Taman Puchong Permai, Puchong lari dari rumah
dan tinggal bersama ibu saudaranya sejak mengandung.
5 Tambah Abdul Rahim, pihaknya telah membawa remaja itu dan bayi malang berkenaan ke
Hospital Selayang untuk mendapatkan rawatan.
Katanya, ibu saudaranya setakat ini tidak ditahan.
Beliau berkata, pihaknya kini sedang mengesan teman lelaki remaja terbabit bagi membantu
siasatan mengikut seksyen 317 Kanun Keseksaan.
Di Seremban, bayi berkenaan ditemui pada pukul 4.45 petang oleh pekerja pengangkut sampah
ketika sedang menangis kelaparan dan kesejukan.
Saksi, Maiden Machapu, 42, yang bekerja sebagai pemandu lori sampah berkata, bayi itu
disedari oleh salah seorang pekerjanya yang sedang mengangkut sampah di salah sebuah
rumah.
Tambahnya, rakannya itu memintanya turun untuk melihat sendiri bayi berkenaan yang ditemui
beralaskan surat khabar dan lengkap berpakaian.
"Berikutan penemuan itu, saya memanggil pemilik rumah dan mengatakan ada seorang bayi
lelaki ditemui di tempat pembuangan sampah miliknya," katanya ketika ditemui pemberita di sini
hari ini.
Pemilik rumah berkenaan, Ng Ah Moi, 68, berkata, selepas diberitahu mengenai kejadian itu dia
terkejut dan tidak berani untuk keluar ke rumahnya.
"Kemudian beberapa anggota polis datang ke rumah untuk mengambil bayi berkenaan untuk
dibawa ke hospital. Saya percaya bayi itu baru sahaja dilahirkan dan seberat dua kilogram,"
katanya.
Bayi lelaki itu kemudian dihantar ke Hospital Tuanku Ja'afar untuk mendapatkan rawatan
susulan.
Sementara itu, Ketua Polis Daerah Seremban, Asisten Komisioner Saiful Azly Kamaruddin
ketika dihubungi mengesahkan kejadian itu dan berkata, kes tersebut disiasat di bawah
Seksyen 317 dan 318 Kanun Keseksaan.
Katanya, pihaknya juga telah menahan seorang wanita warga asing yang disyaki ibu bayi
berkenaan berdasarkan rakaman kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) penduduk
6 ARKIB : 01/06/2010
Jangan pandang negatif langkah Orphan Care
Oleh ROHANI IBRAHIM
[email protected]
BAGI mengatasi masalah kes pembuangan bayi yang semakin berleluasa, Pertubuhan
Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak-Anak Yatim Kuala Lumpur (Orphan Care) mewujudkan ruang
khas bagi membolehkan ibu-ibu terdesak yang tidak inginkan bayi mereka meninggalkan bayi
dengan selamat.
Ruang yang dikenali sebagai 'pelindung bayi' itu adalah yang pertama seumpamanya di negara
ini.
Bertemakan 'Setiap Kanak-Kanak Memerlukan Sebuah Keluarga', Orphan Care yang
didaftarkan pada tahun 2008 dan dirasmikan pada tahun lalu bersedia membantu kanak-kanak
yang dibuang mendapat perhatian dan kasih sayang.
Selain itu, Orphan Care juga membantu pasangan yang ingin mendapatkan anak angkat untuk
memohon melalui laman web www.orphancare.org.my
Sepanjang tahun lalu, Orphan Care memberikan bantuan penjagaan kepada remaja yang hamil
dan berjaya menempatkan tujuh bayi kepada keluarga angkat.
Langkah berkenaan mendapat sambutan menggalakkan dengan lebih 200 permohonan
diterima untuk mengambil bayi-bayi yang dibuang itu sebagai anak angkat pada masa kini.
Biarpun kempen Kami Prihatin dilancarkan sejak awal April lalu, kes pembuangan bayi terus
dilaporkan hampir setiap hari. Semalam satu mayat bayi perempuan ditemui ditinggalkan di
dalam sebuah kotak di perhentian bas di Johor Bahru.
Sebelum itu, mayat seorang bayi lelaki yang dibalut dengan kain lampin dan dipercayai baru
dilahirkan ditemui ditanam berhampiran Stesen Komuter Padang Jawa dekat Shah Alam.
Dua minggu lalu, seorang remaja perempuan berusia 15 tahun dan teman lelakinya, 19,
dihadapkan ke Mahkamah Majistret Melaka kerana menyembunyikan kelahiran seorang bayi
lelaki dan mengebumikannya di tepi sebatang sungai dekat Taman Melaka Baru, Batu
Berendam.
Timbalan Yang Dipertua Majlis Kebangsaan Pertubuhan-Pertubuhan Wanita Malaysia (NCWO),
Faridah Khalid ketika dihubungi berkata, beliau menyokong langkah Orphan Care mewujudkan
7 ruang khas bagi ibu-ibu yang tidak inginkan anak meninggalkan bayi mereka yang baru
dilahirkan.
''Dalam menangani kes pembuangan bayi, kita memerlukan pelbagai pendekatan dan apa yang
dilakukan oleh Orphan Care merupakan penyelesaian terakhir bagi membantu gadis-gadis yang
terlanjur.
''Masyarakat tidak boleh menganggap tindakan Orphan Care sebagai menggalakkan gadis
hamil tanpa nikah. Pendidikan dan kesedaran mengenai kesan negatif hamil luar nikah masih
perlu dilaksanakan.
"Orphan Care menjadi tempat rujukan seandainya segala bentuk nasihat dan kesedaran gagal
mendidik remaja tersebut untuk menjaga diri," katanya.
Tambah Faridah, masyarakat tidak harus memandang negatif atau membantah usaha Orphan
Care kerana tanpa pusat bantuan berkenaan masalah buang bayi dan yang terkini menanam
mayat bayi tidak akan berkurangan apatah lagi berakhir.
''Tidak ada wanita mahu melahirkan bayi tanpa nikah atau tidak berayah. Apa yang berlaku
adalah kerana gadis tersebut tersilap langkah, terpedaya, ditipu dan pelbagai faktor lain.
''Oleh itu, tempat seperti Orphan Care adalah perlu supaya gadis-gadis berkenaan tidak lagi
terpaksa bersalin di dalam tandas lalu membuang bayi mereka dalam lubang tandas dan
sebagainya," jelas beliau.
Menurut Faridah, kewujudan pusat bantuan seperti Orphan Care tidak bermakna kempen
kesedaran supaya golongan gadis menjaga kehormatan diri perlu dikurangkan. Pendidikan
berkenaan tetap perlu ditingkatkan dari semasa ke semasa.
Beliau menambah, dalam proses pengambilan anak angkat, pihak yang berkuasa perlu
memantau dan mengadakan lawatan ke rumah keluarga angkat bagi memastikan kanak-kanak
yang dijadikan anak angkat itu dijaga dengan baik.
Sementara itu, Profesor Madya Mariani Md. Nor dari Jabatan Psikologi Pendidikan dan
Kaunseling, Fakulti Pendidikan Universiti Malaya (UM) berkata, langkah Orphan Care hanya
menyelesaikan kesan daripada gejala seks luar nikah iaitu kes pembuangan bayi.
Namun punca berlakunya kehamilan luar nikah iaitu kurangnya kesedaran dan pendidikan
agama di kalangan golongan remaja tidak dapat diatasi.
8 ''Kewujudan pusat bantuan seperti Orphan Care dikhuatiri menjadikan remaja perempuan lebih
berani dalam pergaulan dan tidak perlu takut jika hamil. Ini kerana mereka kini mempunyai
tempat untuk melahirkan dan 'melupuskan' bayi mereka tanpa pengetahuan keluarga.
''Kebanyakan remaja perempuan yang hamil luar nikah berusia seawal 14 tahun dan
kebarangkalian mereka untuk hamil lagi selepas meninggalkan bayi mereka yang pertama
adalah sangat tinggi. Tidak mustahil seorang remaja perempuan boleh meninggalkan lebih
daripada seorang bayi di pusat bantuan tersebut dengan cara ini," jelasnya.
Tambah Mariani, apa yang penting adalah didikan keluarga mengenai nilai-nilai murni dan
batas-batas dalam pergaulan untuk memastikan seks luar nikah dapat dibendung dalam
masyarakat.
Langkah ini, tambah beliau, lebih berkesan kerana ia mengawal kes hamil luar nikah yang
menjadi punca kepada peningkatan kes pembuangan bayi dalam masyarakat hari ini.
Tidak dinafikan usaha Orphan Care dalam menyelamatkan gadis-gadis yang buntu dan
terdesak untuk melahirkan bayi dengan selamat serta memastikan bayi yang tidak berdosa
untuk menikmati kehidupan dan kasih sayang daripada keluarga angkat adalah sangat murni.
Bagaimanapun, ia sebenarnya tidak menyelesaikan punca masalah pembuangan bayi iaitu
seks luar nikah.
Malah bantuan yang dihulurkan oleh Orphan Care boleh meningkatkan gejala berkenaan
kerana golongan remaja akan menganggap rumah perlindungan itu sebagai tempat paling
mudah untuk 'membuang' bayi yang mereka tidak inginkan.
ARKIB : 31/05/2010
Lebih 200 keluarga mohon mengambil bayi dibuang
KUALA LUMPUR 30 Mei - Dalam pada kes pembuangan bayi semakin meningkat dan
merisaukan, masih terdapat anggota masyarakat yang prihatin dan mahu membela bayi-bayi
terbuang tersebut.
Presiden Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak-Anak Yatim Kuala Lumpur (Orphan
Care), Datuk Adnan Mohd. Tahir berkata, perkara itu dibuktikan dengan lebih 200 permohonan
diterima untuk mengambil bayi-bayi dibuang yang ditempatkan di pusat itu sebagai anak
angkat.
9 Katanya, sambutan menggalakkan itu diperoleh pihaknya sejak berita berhubung pelindung
bayi yang diwujudkan di pusat berkenaan dilaporkan dalam akhbar.
"Banyak keluarga menelefon saya untuk mendapat butir-butir terperinci mengenai proses
permohonan mendapatkan anak angkat.
"Kini, terdapat lebih 200 keluarga di dalam senarai menunggu Orphan Care untuk mengambil
anak angkat," katanya ketika dihubungi oleh Utusan Malaysia.
Orphan Care ditubuhkan pada April 2009 bertujuan memberi bantuan kepada gadis hamil luar
nikah bagi memastikan ibu dan bayi berkenaan berada dalam keadaan selamat.
Pertubuhan itu berjaya memberi penjagaan baik kepada gadis yang mengandung dan
menempatkan tujuh bayi yang tidak diingini kepada keluarga lain sepanjang tahun lalu.
Kini, Orphan Care mewujudkan ruang khas menempatkan bayi bagi membolehkan ibu terdesak
yang tidak inginkan bayi mereka, meninggalkannya dengan selamat.
Ruang tersebut yang dikenali 'pelindung bayi' adalah yang pertama seumpamanya di negara ini
dan ia ditempatkan di pejabat pertubuhan itu di No. 6 Lorong SS1/24A, Kampung Tunku,
Petaling Jaya.
Adnan berkata, proses permohonan pengambilan anak angkat tersebut akan mengambil masa
antara dua hingga tiga hari.
"Pemohon perlu memohon melalui laman web Orphan Care iaitu www.orphancare.org.my.
"Selepas itu, kita memerlukan sedikit masa untuk mengadakan temu janji dengan pemohon dan
memeriksa kesihatan mereka bagi memastikan keluarga tertentu mampu membesarkan bayi
itu," katanya.
Sementara itu, Ahli Jawatankuasa Orphan Care, Situ Azura Nordin Torji menasihati gadis
Muslim yang menghadapi masalah seumpama itu agar menelefon atau berjumpa dengan
petugas pertubuhan itu untuk mendapat bantuan sewajarnya.
"Tujuan kita adalah membantu ibu mengandung dan bayi itu bagi memastikan mereka
berkeadaan sihat dan selamat," tegasnya.
Sumber : http://www.utusanmalaysia.com.my
Tarikh Akses : 19 September 2011
10 Headline: 300 pasangan nanti giliran
Publication: BM
Date of publication: Mar 6, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 010
Byline / Author: Oleh Rashiqah Ilmi Abd Rahim; Nadia Hamid
KUALA LUMPUR: Mahu bergelar ibu atau bapa segera? Hanya pilih mana-mana bayi yang
berkenan, kemudian keluarkan modal paling tinggi pun RM3,500 dan anda sudah boleh
membawa pulang si kecil ke rumah.
Itu prosedur sesetengah rumah kebajikan swasta di negara kita yang menawarkan anak angkat
buat mana-mana pasangan yang ingin membesarkan keluarga.
Bagi pengendali Kem Modal Insan, Pusat Kebahagiaan Wanita dan Remaja (KEWAJA), lebih
2,500 bayi yang diberi perlindungan di situ sejak 20 tahun lalu sudah mempunyai keluarga
angkat dan mungkin kini menjalani kehidupan bahagia.
Kata Pengasasnya, Yahya Mohamed Yusof, berkata pasangan yang mahu anak angkat diberi
kebebasan memilih jantina, bangsa serta rupa bayi yang diingini dengan bayaran dikenakan
hanya antara RM3,000 hingga RM3,500 selain mematuhi beberapa syarat lain.
Bagaimanapun, proses yang mudah tidak bermakna sesiapa saja boleh mengambil anak
angkat sewenang-wenangnya kerana masih tertakluk kepada lunas undang-undang, bahkan
KEWAJA turut menyimpan rekod serta maklumat terperinci setiap ibu kandung dan keluarga
angkat.
"Pusat ini diwujudkan untuk menyelamat gadis terlanjur, sekali gus mengurangkan kes
pembuangan bayi. Memang ada ibu muda berdegil mahu jaga sendiri bayi, tetapi selalunya ibu
bapa mereka pula tidak bersetuju. Jadi, kami nasihatkan gadis itu fikir kemampuannya
membesarkan bayi sendirian," katanya.
Sebuah lagi pusat menyediakan khidmat sama, Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak
Yatim (OrphanCARE) turut menawarkan peluang buat mereka yang mahukan anak angkat
melalui pusat perlindungan bayi atau Baby Hatch, tetapi pemohon harus sabar menunggu
giliran.
Kini, lebih 300 pasangan masih menunggu giliran mendapatkan anak angkat dari pusat
berkenaan yang mula beroperasi Mei tahun lalu. Setakat ini 20 bayi dari pusat itu sudah
diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat, manakala seorang lagi masih dalam proses dokumentasi.
Setiausaha Kerja OrphanCARE, Azra Banu, berkata pihaknya menerima banyak permohonan
daripada pasangan yang gagal mendapat zuriat selepas berpuluh tahun kahwin dengan purata
15 hingga 20 permohonan diterima setiap bulan.
"Setakat ini, ada tiga permohonan daripada wanita belum berkahwin, tetapi keutamaan adalah
kepada pasangan yang disahkan daripada segi perubatan tidak mampu mendapat anak serta
pasangan berumur yang tiada zuriat. Hanya mereka yang benar-benar layak akan disenarai
pendek.
1 "OrphanCARE adalah organisasi sukarela dan Baby Hatch hanya transit. Kadang-kadang bayi
tidak sempat ditempatkan di sini apabila terus dibawa pulang keluarga angkat sekiranya
dokumentasi lengkap. Pengagihan bayi pula adakah berdasarkan senarai menunggu, siapa
paling atas dia dapat dulu," katanya.
Pelbagai faktor punca permintaan meningkat
BAKA dan genetik kurang subur, tiada keinginan mempunyai anak serta gaya hidup terkini yang
memandang `anak segera' sebagai trend, menyebabkan ramai orang bujang atau pasangan
yang sudah berkahwin lebih selesa membela anak angkat.
Kehidupan sibuk dan kesuntukan masa bagi individu atau pasangan bekerjaya dan profesional
juga menyumbang kepada peningkatan permintaan mendapatkan anak angkat.
Pakar Psikologi dan Kaunseling Universiti Malaya (UM), Dr Mariani Mohd Isa, berkata secara
umumnya trend mengambil anak angkat semakin meluas, tambahan pula masyarakat banyak
didedahkan kepada kes pembuangan bayi di negara ini.
"Selain itu, ada pula pusat pusat perlindungan bayi yang memudahkan orang ramai
mendapatkan anak segera. Bagi wanita bujang atau isteri, mereka tidak perlu bersusah payah
mengandung, bersalin dan berpantang hanya untuk mendapatkan seorang anak.
"Faktor itu ditambah pula dengan isteri fanatik kepada penjagaan bentuk badan dan enggan
mengandung. Suami pula, terutama jika sudah berusia dan berkahwin wanita muda selalunya
rela mengambil anak angkat semata-mata mahu menjaga perasaan pasangan," katanya.
Ada juga lelaki dan wanita memutuskan tidak mahu hidup berumahtangga serta individu yang
sudah lanjut usia mengambil anak angkat untuk dijadikan teman hidup.
Mengenai faktor kesuburan yang dikatakan terjejas kerana makanan segera yang mengandungi
garam berlebihan, monosodium glutamate dan bahan pengawet, Mariani berkata, belum ada
kajian terperinci dibuat mengaitkan faktor itu dengan kesukaran mendapat zuriat.
Beliau menasihatkan gadis yang hamil di luar nikah atau wanita yang tidak yakin untuk
memelihara sendiri bayi mereka supaya menyerahkan kepada pusat kebajikan atau pasangan
yang mahukan anak daripada membiarkan bayi mati atau ditinggalkan di merata tempat.
`Sanggup derita daripada lihat anak membesar tanpa ayah'
DESAKAN ibu bapa yang enggan menerima cucu luar nikah, usia muda dan kekangan
kewangan antara faktor peningkatan kes bayi dibuang serta terbiar tanpa identiti, tetapi ada
juga bernasib baik mendapat keluarga angkat.
Berdasarkan rekod Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) dari tempoh 2000 hingga Julai 2008,
lebih 257,000 kelahiran didaftarkan tanpa catatan nama bapa dengan purata 2,500 kes anak
tidak sah taraf direkodkan setiap bulan.
Mereka sebenarnya bernasib baik kerana tidak menemui ajal di tepi jalan, dalam tong sampah
atau longkang, sebaliknya dilahirkan di bawah perlindungan rumah kebajikan dan kemudian
diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat jika enggan dipelihara ibu sendiri.
2 Amira, 17, (bukan nama sebenar) dari Johor yang terlanjur dengan teman lelakinya, memilih
menyerahkan anaknya kepada keluarga angkat ketika kandungan berusia enam bulan demi
menjaga maruah keluarga dan masa depan anak itu walaupun begitu sedih.
"Saya sanggup menderita daripada membiarkan anak dihina kerana dibesarkan tanpa ayah.
Dengan keluarga angkat, sekurang-kurangnya masa depan dia lebih terjamin dan tidak akan
dihantui kisah hitam saya. Tambahan pula kedudukan kewangan tidak mengizinkan saya
menyara anak sendirian," katanya.
Nasib sama turut menimpa Nur, 20, (bukan nama sebenar) yang bersedia menyerahkan
bayinya kepada keluarga angkat sebelum dia meneruskan pengajian ke universiti selepas
mendapat keputusan cemerlang dalam Sijil Tinggi Pelajaran Malaysia (STPM).
"Dalam usia yang masih muda, saya hanya terfikir untuk melanjutkan pelajaran dan
membanggakan ibu bapa selepas mengecewakan mereka sebelum ini. Bukan hendak bersikap
kejam tetapi demi kebaikan semua pihak, ini cara terbaik walaupun hati berat untuk melepaskan
anak sendiri," katanya.
Sementara itu, Mohd Ali Taib, 35, (bukan nama sebenar) mengambil keputusan memelihara
anak angkatnya yang kini sudah berusia tujuh bulan, selepas dipertemukan dengan pasangan
remaja terlanjur yang berhasrat menyerahkan bayi mereka kepada orang lain.
"Bayi itu berusia empat bulan ketika itu. Mereka menawarkannya kepada saya kerana tidak
mampu membelanya. Jika saya tidak mahu, mereka nekad membuangnya. Sekurangkurangnya saya berbakti dan memberi sinar baru kepada anak itu," katanya.
Menceritakan detik ketika membuat keputusan menjaga bayi comel berkenaan beberapa bulan
lalu, Ali menegaskan dia sendiri pada mulanya tidak menyangka mampu menjalankan
tanggungjawab sebagai bapa berikutan belum bersedia, malah belum pun berumah tangga.
"Selepas beberapa bulan menjaga bayi ini, timbul perasaan sayang. Mungkin saya akan
mengambil lebih ramai anak angkat sekiranya mampu," kata kakitangan kerajaan itu yang
menghantar anak angkatnya ke pusat asuhan pada hari bekerja.
INFO
Prosedur pengambilan dan pengesahan anak angkat
Menerusi JKM
* Permohonan menerusi surat, faks, telefon, e-mel atau di Pejabat JKM
* Pemohon mengisi borang permohonan bersama dokumen sokongan seperti:
* Surat sokongan / pengesahan daripada pegawai perubatan
* Salinan sijil nikah /sijil daftar perkahwinan
* Salinan kad pengenalan pemohon* Lain-lain dokumen berkaitan
* Pasangan suami isteri, ibu tunggal bermastautin di Malaysia
3 * Permohonan dibuat kepada mahkamah dalam masa tiga bulan selepas menerima anak
angkat mengikut Akta Pengangkatan 1952 (Akta 257) atau memohon kepada JPN mengikut
Akta Pendaftaran Anak Angkat 1952 (Akta 253) selepas dua tahun memelihara anak angkat
* Pengambilan anak angkat yang gagal dimaklumkan kepada JKM boleh dikenakan hukuman
denda sehingga RM10,000 atau penjara sehingga dua tahun atau kedua-duanya sekali jika
sabit kesalahan mengikut Seksyen 35(1) Akta Kanak-Kanak 2001
* Mengisi borang permohonan
* Menyertakan dokumen seperti kad pengenalan, penyata kewangan dan laporan perubatan
kesihatan
* Menjalani ujian saringan dan temuduga dikendalikan bersama OrphanCARE dan JKM
* Disenarai pendek dan menunggu giliran
* Pasangan berkahwin lebih lima tahun dan tiada anak
* Pasangan berkahwin kurang lima tahun perlu menunjukkan pengesahan doktor mengenai
potensi kesihatan dan bermasalah memiliki anak
* Pemohon memilih sendiri jantina dan rupa bayi ikut cita rasa tersendiri
* Permohonan boleh dibuat sebelum atau selepas bayi dilahirkan
* Membayar antara RM3,000 hingga RM3,500 untuk kos bersalin
Headline: 21 bayi di Baby Hatch sejak Mei
Publication: BH
Date of publication: Feb 26, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
Byline / Author: Oleh Nadia Hamid
PETALING JAYA: Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim (Orphan CARE)
menerima 21 bayi yang dibuang dengan purata penerimaan tiga bayi sebulan sejak penubuhan
Pusat Perlindungan Bayi (Baby Hatch) pada Mei tahun lalu.
Berdasarkan angka berkenaan, 20 daripadanya sudah diberikan kepada keluarga angkat
masing-masing yang datang daripada pelbagai latar belakang sosial dan agama, manakala
seorang lagi bayi masih menunggu untuk diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat selepas urusan
dokumen pengambilan anak angkat selesai .
Setiausaha Kerja Orphan CARE, Azra Banu, berkata sehingga kini, hanya dua kes
membabitkan bayi diletakkan secara sembunyi ke dalam Baby Hatch manakala, 19 bayi lain
diserahkan sendiri oleh ibu kandung mahupun ahli keluarga wanita yang melahirkan anak
berkenaan.
"Kebanyakan ibu muda yang ingin menyerahkan anak mereka lebih yakin sekiranya dapat
4 bersemuka dengan pihak pengurusan bagi memastikan anak mereka dijaga dan diberi kepada
pihak berwajib. Malah ada juga ibu mengandung yang berjumpa kami untuk menawarkan anak
mereka selepas dilahirkan kelak.
"Berdasarkan bilangan bayi sedia ada yang diterima di Baby Hatch, 13 daripadanya adalah
rakyat tempatan dengan 12 bayi berketurunan Melayu, satu berketurunan India, manakala lainlain, Filipina (tiga), Indonesia (dua) dan Nigeria (satu)," katanya kepada Berita Harian, semalam.
Baby Hatch yang julung kali diperkenalkan pada 29 Mei tahun lalu menerima bayi lelaki
pertama pada 26 Jun lalu. Bayi lelaki seberat 2.7 kilogram dilahirkan sehari sebelum itu dan
sudah diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat selepas 11 hari dijaga.
Dalam perkembangan sama, Azra menjelaskan pihaknya sedang bekerjasama dengan Jabatan
Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM) untuk menubuhkan sekurang-kurangnya lima Baby Hatch di
seluruh negara terutama utara, selatan, timur, Sabah dan Sarawak.
Sehubungan itu, beliau memohon kerjasama orang ramai menyalurkan cadangan mahupun
sumbangan bagi merealisasikan lebih banyak penubuhan Baby Hatch di kawasan masingmasing.
"Orang ramai boleh melayari www.orphancare.org.my untuk berkongsi idea, maklumat dan
cadangan bernas bagi memperkasakan penubuhan Baby Hatch di seluruh negara.
"Mengenai maklumat peribadi ibu bapa bayi yang diserahkan, semua maklumat adalah rahsia.
Bagaimanapun, ibu bapa kandung bayi berkenaan masih dibenarkan mengikuti perkembangan
anak mereka dari semasa ke semasa melalui Orphan CARE," katanya.
Headline: Tokoh Islam setuju penubuhan Baby Hatch
Publication: BH
Date of publication: May 31, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
KUALA LUMPUR: Tokoh Islam dalam negara bersetuju dengan penubuhan Baby Hatch atau
Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini yang pertama di Malaysia, yang boleh menyelamatkan bayi
yang tidak diingini.
Mufti Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, berkata bayi yang tidak lagi diingini mesti diselamatkan,
manakala ibu bapa bayi berkenaan harus dikenakan tindakan yang keras supaya memberi
pengajaran kepada orang lain.
"Saya menyokong langkah Kementerian Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan
Masyarakat serta Baby Hatch dalam isu ini kerana bayi berkenaan tidak berdosa.
"Dulu kita tidak bersetuju dengan idea seperti ini kerana takut menghantar mesej yang salah
kepada orang ramai terutama remaja, tapi pada masa sekarang kita sangat perlukan tempat
sebegini untuk bayi yang tidak berdosa," katanya kepada Berita Harian, semalam.
Kelmarin, Penaung OrphanCARE yang juga Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom melancarkan
Pusat Perlindungan Bayi Tidak Diingini atau Baby Hatch pertama dalam negara.
5 Presiden OrphanCARE, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, berkata organisasi itu bercadang
mewujudkan banyak lagi pusat perlindungan bayi di seluruh negara bagi menyediakan tempat
untuk bayi yang dibuang atau tidak diingini lagi. Baby Hatch yang beroperasi 24 jam
menyediakan tempat perlindungan sihat dan selamat kepada bayi terbabit sebelum diserahkan
kepada keluarga angkat.
Bekas Pegawai Agama Istana Negara, Datuk Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz pula berkata, usaha
mewujudkan Baby Hatch adalah baik kerana ia menjadi tempat perlindungan bayi yang tidak
bersalah serta boleh menjamin masa depan bayi itu.
"Kalau kita pandang dari segi satu sudut memang menggalakkan zina tapi kita tak boleh
biarkan bayi yang dilahirkan dibuang dan meninggal begitu saja. Malahan bayi berkenaan boleh
diberikan kepada pasangan suami isteri yang mahukan anak dan Islam menganjurkannya,"
katanya.
Penasihat Majlis Agama Negeri Johor, Datuk Noh Gadut, berkata gejala buang bayi pada masa
kini sudah semakin teruk dan kerajaan serta pertubuhan bukan kerajaan wajar mengambil
tanggungjawab menyelesaikan perkara berkenaan.
"Anak-anak kecil ini tidak berdosa dan wajib kita sediakan perlindungan kepada mereka, mana
tahu mereka ini membesar menjadi anak yang soleh dan menjadi pejuang negara pada masa
depan.
"Yang bersalah adalah ibu bapa anak kecil itu. Masyarakat harus bersama mencegah penyakit
sosial ini termasuk melaksanakan undang-undang cegah zina yang ketat," katanya.
Beliau turut menyarankan masyarakat supaya berfikiran terbuka dalam menyelesaikan masalah
buang bayi serta bertanggungjawab mencegah perbuatan zina di kalangan remaja seperti yang
disyorkan oleh Islam.
Headline: Proses dakwaan kes dera, buang bayi dipercepat
Publication: BM
Date of publication: May 30, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 012
KLANG: Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat akan bekerjasama
dengan Pejabat Peguam Negara untuk mempercepatkan proses pendakwaan terhadap mereka
yang disabitkan kesalahan membuang bayi dan penderaan kanak-kanak.
Menterinya, Senator Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, berkata cadangan itu antara langkah
terbaik untuk memastikan mereka yang disiasat segera dibawa ke muka pengadilan untuk
dihukum, sekali gus menjadi pengajaran kepada rakyat.
"Sekarang pun kementerian mendapat kerjasama polis untuk mempercepatkan siasatan,"
katanya selepas merasmikan program Juara Rakyat dan Hari Keluarga Parlimen Kota Raja di
sini, semalam.
Terbaru, seorang remaja perempuan berusia 17 tahun dipercayai menanam mayat bayi lelaki
berhampiran landasan kereta api Stesen Komuter Padang Jawa, di sini, Sabtu lalu direman
6 empat hari, mulai kelmarin. Turut direman, kakaknya yang berusia 24 tahun kerana disyaki
bersubahat.
Pada majlis berasingan di ibu negara, Shahrizat berkata, lelaki yang melarikan diri kerana
enggan bertanggungjawab selepas menghamilkan wanita tidak terlepas daripada undangundang.
"Sudah terlalu lama wanita saja dipersalahkan dalam kes hamil luar nikah dan pembuangan
bayi tetapi lelaki melarikan diri. Saya memberi amaran kepada bapa ghaib ini mereka tidak akan
terlepas," katanya selepas majlis perasmian Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak
Yatim (OrphanCARE) serta pelancaran Baby Hatch atau Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini,
yang pertama di Malaysia.
Perasmian itu disempurnakan Penaung OrphanCARE yang juga Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah
Kalsom.
Shahrizat berkata, beliau tidak menyangka Baby Hatch perlu diwujudkan di Malaysia kerana
negara memiliki kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab serta rakyat penyayang.
Beliau turut menegaskan kewujudan Baby Hatch tidak bertujuan menggalakkan kes kehamilan
luar nikah, sebaliknya menyelamatkan bayi dibuang ibu bapa yang tidak menghendaki mereka.
Presiden OrphanCARE, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, berkata Baby Hatch yang beroperasi 24 jam
adalah pilihan terakhir kepada bayi tidak dikehendaki yang menyediakan tempat perlindungan
sihat dan selamat sebelum diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat.
Headline: Banyak permintaan
Publication: HM
Date of publication: May 14, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 043
Byline / Author: Oleh Sharifah Norfaezah Wan Ahmad Makki Mashor
KUALA LUMPUR: Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak-Anak Yatim (OrphanCare)
dijangka meluaskan operasi `pelindung bayi' dalam tempoh kira-kira setahun lagi.
Keputusan itu dipertimbangkan pengurusan terbabit berikutan permintaan banyak pihak
termasuk individu korporat, hospital awam dan swasta serta masyarakat di seluruh negara.
Presidennya, Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir, berkata sambutan dan sokongan daripada ramai
pihak memberi inspirasi bagi merealisasikan hasrat murni itu.
"Kami mendapat permintaan membuka pusat ini di Kelantan, Johor Bahru, Pulau Pinang,
Sarawak dan di Hulu Klang, Selangor serta masih dalam perbincangan bersama Hospital Kuala
Lumpur (HKL) dan Pusat Perubatan Universiti Malaya (PPUM) untuk mengadakan baby hatch'
(pelindung bayi) di situ," katanya ketika sidang media, semalam.
Menurutnya lagi, kejayaan operasi selama setahun memungkinkan permintaan itu diterima
dalam usaha membendung gejala pembuangan bayi.
7 "Setakat ini 30 bayi berjaya diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat masing-masing sepanjang
tempoh setahun operasi pusat ini," katanya.
Katanya, pihaknya sudah menemuramah 100 pasangan daripada 600 pasangan yang
memohon mengambil anak angkat menerusi pusat itu berdasarkan kriteria termasuk fizikal,
kewangan dan keadaan emosi.
Sementara itu, setiausaha pusat berkenaan, Azra Banu, berkata pihaknya akan menyertai
sambutan Hari Belia `Himpunan Sejuta Belia' penghujung bulan ini dalam usaha memberi
kesedaran kepada masyarakat terutama belia kerana kebanyakan pasangan yang menghantar
bayi ke pusat itu adalah belia belum berkahwin berusia antara 18 dan 32 tahun.
Pada masa sama, Majlis Makan Malam OrphanCare sempena ulang tahun pertama pusat itu
diadakan pada 21 Mei ini bagi mengumpul dana dan memperingati bekas presiden,
Allahyarham Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir atas sumbangan beliau.
"Kami akan menyediakan meja yang bernilai RM2,500 hingga RM30,000 dan turut
menyediakan kerusi persendirian bernilai RM250," katanya.
Headline: Nyawa bayi lebih penting
Publication: HM
Date of publication: May 3, 2011
Section heading: Variasi
Page number: 006
Byline / Author: Oleh Hajahfarhana Tarmudi
KETIKA baru diperkenalkan pertama kali di Malaysia pada 2010, ada yang menganggap
kewujudan ruang khas pelindung bayi (baby hatch) akan menggalakkan lagi masalah
pembuangan anak luar nikah khususnya pasangan remaja yang belum berkahwin.
Namun, apabila difikirkan dengan akal yang waras pasti ramai tidak sanggup melihat atau
mendengar banyak kes yang disiarkan media membabitkan bayi dibuang tidak kira tempat
semata-mata hanya mahu mengelak rasa bersalah dan malu yang perlu ditanggung selepas
terlanjur bersama pasangan.
Pasti ada yang mengalirkan air mata tatkala mata dijamu dengan penemuan bayi masih hidup
dikerumuni lalat dan semut ditemui di bawah jambatan. Lebih malang jika ia tidak dijumpai
sesiapa, air deras akibat hujan lebat pasti akan membawanya bersama sampah-sarap
mengakibatkan si bayi mati kelemasan.
Mungkin kita tidak sanggup melihat mayat bayi ditemui dengan sebahagian anggota badannya
terbakar teruk kerana dibuang di timbunan sampah oleh ibunya sendiri yang mahu menutup
malu kerana tidak tahu di mana harus meletakkan anak baru dilahirkan.
Justeru, nyawa bayi lebih penting daripada tanggapan buruk orang ramai ketika pengenalannya
kepada masyarakat di negara ini sebagai alternatif bagi menyelamatkan nyawa yang tidak
berdosa ini.
8 Pusat pelindung bayi diperkenalkan bekas Pengerusi Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan
Anak-Anak Yatim Kuala Lumpur (OrphanCare), Allahyarham Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir yang
membuat pemerhatiannya berhubung pelindung bayi di Jerman sebelum diperkenalkan di
negara ini turut mendapat sokongan daripada Menteri Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan
Masyarakat, Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Menurut Pengurus Eksekutif OrphanCare, Zulkifli Mohd Aris, sehingga kini, pusat pelindung
bayi menerima kira-kira 30 bayi membabitkan 83 peratus bayi Muslim, 13 peratus bukan Muslim
dan empat peratus bukan warganegara Malaysia. Bilangan bayi lelaki dan perempuan dalam
nisbah serupa.
Pelindung bayi itu dihasilkan dengan tahap keselamatan yang diyakini dapat memberikan
keselesaan kepada bayi sebagai tempat sementara sebelum diambil petugas untuk diletakkan
di bilik yang lebih selamat dan terjaga.
"Ia dilengkapkan dengan tilam dan bantal manakala bahagian bawahnya ada butang
keselamatan yang berfungsi sebagai alat pengesan bagi menandakan bayi terdapat di
dalamnya.
"Apabila rasa bebanan, secara automatik butang di bawah tilam akan segera mengaktifkan
lampu, alat penyaman udara dan loceng amaran akan berbunyi di bilik penjagaan bayi bagi
memberi isyarat mereka menerima orang baru," katanya ketika ditemui baru-baru ini.
Jelasnya, setelah mendapat loceng amaran, petugas akan segera mengambil bayi terbabit
supaya tidak berada di situ lebih daripada lima minit bagi memastikannya tidak mengalami
sebarang perkara yang tidak diingini.
Bunyi amaran akan menyala apabila pintu tertutup sekali gus dikunci secara automatik bagi
mengelak unsur penculikan dan tindakan orang yang tidak bertanggungjawab.
Sekiranya ibu berkenaan berubah hati untuk mengambil semula bayi yang diletakkan di dalam
bekas pelindung bayi itu, mereka perlu menggunakan interkom yang diletakkan
bersebelahannya agar penjaga pusat berkenaan dapat membuka semula pintu itu.
Sebelum menutup pintu, si ibu atau mereka yang meletakkan bayi berkenaan perlu
meninggalkan butiran lengkap atau sijil kelahiran selain mengisi borang disediakan bagi
membolehkan proses penerimaan bayi berkenaan dapat berjalan lancar.
Sekiranya mereka tidak meninggalkan sebarang pengenalan diri bayi, pihak OrphanCare akan
membuat laporan kepada polis, Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat dan hospital bagi mengelak
timbul perkara yang tidak diingini.
Selain itu, di dalam bilik berkenaan turut diletakkan kamera litar tertutup (CCTV) yang diawasi
24 jam oleh penjaga bagi melihat gambaran yang lebih terperinci sama ada pelindung bayi
terbabit benar-benar ada bayi atau haiwan seperti kucing atau anjing.
"CCTV juga diletakkan di sini bagi mengelakkan berlaku penipuan oleh mereka yang tidak
bertanggungjawab dan cuba mencabar tahap keberkesanan sistem keselamatannya.
"Dengan adanya CCTV, penjaga kami dapat melihat dengan lebih baik selain menjaga
keselamatan bayi," kata Zulkifli yang turut ditemani Jawatankuasa Ibu Bapa, Ida Ghazali.
9 Katanya, pusat pelindung bayi dibuka 24 jam dan pintu pagarnya akan sentiasa dibuka bagi
memudahkan keluarga atau ibu yang ingin meletakkan bayi sama ada bersembunyi atau
bersemuka dengan penjaga OrphanCare.
Dengan kos RM20,000, pelindung bayi dapat dijadikan alternatif yang baik kepada bayi untuk
terus bernafas dan mendapat hidup lebih sempurna bersama keluarga angkat yang benarbenar
layak.
Antara negara yang menubuhkan pusat pelindung bayi ialah Jerman, India, Pakistan, Austria,
Perancis, Jepun, Republik Czech dan Belgium.
Jerman menubuhkan pelindung bayi kerana negaranya tidak membenarkan ibu melahirkan
anak tanpa menyertakan maklumat lengkap diri mereka di hospital. Oleh itu, pelindung bayi
dijadikan sebagai cara meninggalkan bayi yang tidak diingini dengan selamat tanpa diketahui
sesiapa untuk diberi kepada keluarga angkat.
Berbeza di India dan Pakistan yang mewujudkan pelindung bayi sebagai alternatif bagi
perempuan yang melahirkan anak luar nikah disebabkan tidak mampu menyediakan kos
hantaran kahwin yang tinggi.
Bagi Austria, penubuhan pelindung anak luar nikah bertujuan menjaga hak mereka sejak 2001
sebagai khidmat sosial kepada kanak-kanak dengan menyediakan khidmat menjaga bayi pada
tempoh enam bulan pertama sebelum diberikan kepada keluarga angkat.
Republik Czech menjadikan pelindung bayi sebagai tempat yang sah sejak 2006 oleh
Kementerian Hal Ehwal Sosial dalam undang-undang negaranya dan pada November 2010,
negara ini mempunyai 39 pelindung bayi sekali gus berjaya menyelamatkan 37 kanak-kanak.
Sementara itu, pada 2003 mahkamah hak asasi manusia Eropah mengesahkan keputusan hak
anak luar nikah yang diberikan di Perancis tidak melanggar konvensyennya.
Pada 2006, Hospital Iikei, Jepun memohon kerajaan wilayah Kumamoto, bandar raya
Kumamoto dan pejabat lain supaya tidak menganggap pembukaan pelindung bayi sebagai
memberi galakan berlaku pembuangan bayi kerana ia di bawah jagaan pihak hospital.
Walaupun pembuangan bayi di Belgium adalah haram, anak luar nikah akan ditempatkan di
pusat jagaan dan boleh diambil sebagai anak angkat selepas beberapa bulan. Namun begitu,
mereka yang bertanggungjawab mewujudkan pelindung bayi akan dikenakan hukuman di
bawah undang-undang Belgium kerana dianggap mempromosikan pembuangan anak.
10 Headline: Transit harapan
Publication: BM
Date of publication: Mar 6, 2011
Section heading: BM Dua
Page number: 006
Byline / Author: Oleh Mohd Azis Ngah
PENUBUHAN pusat penjagaan bayi, Baby Hatch kendalian OrphanCare terus menjadi sebutan
dan perbualan, ada yang menyambut baik, tidak kurang yang beranggapan negatif kerana pada
mereka ia seolah-olah menggalakkan gejala seks bebas menjurus ke arah membuang bayi.
Itu kata orang berfikiran sempit, sedangkan masalah sosial itu sudah berleluasa, perlukan satu
lagi kaedah penyelesaian mengelakkan bayi tidak berdosa dibunuh begitu saja dengan
mencampak ke dalam hutan, longkang atau membiarkan binatang memakan jasad suci itu di
tempat pembuangan sampah.
Jika dikumpul, dibela bayi malang itu ia sebenarnya suatu rahmat kepada pasangan suami isteri
yang langsung tidak mempunyai anak dan sering berdoa mempunyai anak walaupun sekadar
anak angkat. Penyelesaian itulah yang dilakukan Orphan-Care, membantu menyelamatkan bayi
dan membantu mencari keluarga angkat.
Bak kata Setiausaha Kerja OrphanCare, Azra Banu, pusat itu adalah tempat transit saja, bukan
pusat penjagaan kekal, ia sementara dan bersifat serampang dua mata iaitu membantu
mengelakkan nyawa bayi terkorban sia-sia dan pada masa sama memberi sinar baru kepada
pasangan yang tidak mempunyai zuriat.
Menyingkap sejarah dan idea penubuhan awal pusat itu, Azra berkata ia bermula ketika
bencana tsunami melanda Aceh dan Malaysia kerana ketika itu ramai anak kehilangan bayi
serta memerlukan keluarga angkat untuk berlindung.
"Kempen awal mendapat maklum balas yang baik tetapi perancangan dibatalkan dan terfikir
kenapa kita perlu keluar negara mencari anak angkat sedangkan di Malaysia sendiri ramai anak
yatim memerlukan pertolongan. Kami mulakan dengan cari anak yatim dan keluarga angkat.
"Di situlah timbulnya idea baru nak kumpul anak terbuang, bayi tidak dikehendaki yang lahir
secara tidak sah atau sah tetapi berminat nak serah kepada orang lain.
"Memang agak rumit nak uruskan bayi tanpa dokumen lengkap tetapi berkat kerjasama banyak
pihak ia mampu diuruskan dan penyerahan keluarga angkat juga mengikut undang-undang,"
katanya.
Konsep operasi di situ cukup mudah, sesiapa saja boleh datang pada bila- bila masa. Mereka
mempunyai dua pilihan, iaitu menyerahkan bayi secara senyap dengan meletakkannya ke
dalam bilik khas di rumah berkenaan serta perlu menyerahkan dokumen berkaitan, seperti sijil
perubatan hospital untuk menentukan kewarganegaraan.
Jika tidak bersalin di hospital, si ibu boleh mengisi maklumat peribadinya menggunakan borang
khas di situ untuk memudahkan urusan pendaftaran sijil kelahiran. Mereka tidak perlu bimbang
kerana segala maklumat peribadi akan dirahsiakan, cuma ia diperlukan sebagai dokumen
11 sokongan penting untuk pendaftaran.
Pasangan yang menyerahkan anak juga mempunyai pilihan untuk bertemu terus dengan
pengasuh di situ, mendapatkan apa saja maklumat berkaitan.
Mereka masih mempunyaimasa untuk berfikir dan membuat keputusan tanpa paksaan. Bahkan
kedudukan pusat itu juga cukup strategik kerana terletak di hujung lorong mati di taman
perumahan. Kelibat kehadiran mereka tidak akan disedari jiran di situ kerana mereka
sebenarnya faham serta sudah memberi persetujuan menyokong pelaksanaannya.
Jika sudah tekad, mereka perlu datang dan tinggalkan bayi di dalam baby hatch yang lengkap
dengan sistem pendingin hawa serta lampu automatik. Apabila pintu ditutup semuanya akan
terpasang sendiri dan alat penggera di bilik pengasuh akan berbunyi menandakan ada `tetamu'
baru di situ.
Bilik itu dilengkapi kamera litar tertutup yang cuma menghala ke arah katil bayi, ini bermakna
sesiapa saja yang menghantarnya tidak perlu bimbang perbuatan mereka akan dirakam. Ia
sebenarnya bertujuan memberi maklumat terus kepada pengasuh bahawa ada bayi diletakkan
di situ.
Azra berkata, pengasuh di situ juga akan memberi masa kira-kira lima minit kepada ibu atau
bapa bayi itu beredar sebelum beliau turun untuk mendapatkan bayi. Ia sebenarnya memberi
peluang kepada mereka untuk beredar.
"Jika pintu ditutup, ia cuma boleh dibuka daripada dalam rumah. Tetapi, jika ibu bayi berubah
hati untuk mengambil semula anaknya, mereka boleh tunggu sehingga pengasuh turun dan
bertemunya. Ia konsep sukarela dan semuanya dilakukan secara persetujuan bersama.
Tinjauan Berita Minggu di pusat itu mendapati, tingkat atasnya dilengkapi bilik bayi, katil bayi
serta almari pakaian sumbangan orang ramai. Pusat itu menerima banyak alat mainan bayi dan
kanak-kanak, sehubungan itu orang ramai yang ingin menderma digalakkan mendapatkan
maklumat barang yang diperlukan misalnya lampin pakai buang yang menjadi keutamaan.
Pengasuh pusat itu, Odie Mohd Arof, berkongsi pengalaman manisnya ketika menerima bayi
pertama beberapa bulan lalu dengan menyifatkannya seperti menjaga anak sendiri.
"Dalam beberapa hari pertama, saya cuma menjaganya seperti bayi di pusat asuhan tetapi bila
masuk hari kelima, perasaan sayang semakin menebal. Hinggakan saya bercadang
membelanya sendiri sebagai anak angkat, tetapi tidak dibenarkan.
"Keletah, senyumannya masih terbayang-bayang, rasa seperti darah daging sendiri," katanya
yang berpengalaman sebagai sukarelawan di pusat penjagaan bayi.
Info
Baby Hatch
* Kerjasama Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat, polis, Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara, hospital
* Bayi akan diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat apabila urusan pendaftaran kelahiran selesai
12 * Lebih 200 keluarga angkat berada dalam senarai menunggu.
* Bayi tiada dokumen layak menerima status warga negara selepas dua tahun dibela keluarga
angkat
* OrphanCare turut membantu ibu mengandung anak luar nikah
(END)
Headline: Bayi terbuang rebutan ramai
Publication: BM
Date of publication: Jul 11, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 017
Byline / Author: Oleh Mohd Azis Ngah
PETALING JAYA: Bayangkan seorang bayi menjadi rebutan 300 pasangan! Inilah hakikatnya
apabila Pusat Pelindung Bayi (Baby Hatch) pertama negara yang dilancarkan 29 Mei lalu baru
menerima seorang bayi sedangkan jumlah yang memohon untuk mendapatkan anak angkat
terlalu ramai.
Ini terbukti apabila sehingga semalam hampir 300 pasangan yang kebanyakannya pasangan
sudah lama berkahwin, tetapi belum dikurniakan zuriat sudah memohon dari pusat berkenaan
serta individu bujang yang inginkan anak angkat.
Ada juga pemohon yang sudah mempunyai anak, tetapi mahu anak angkat dengan alasan anak
sudah besar, kesunyian kerana tinggal berdua bersama pasangan bahkan ada yang mahukan
anak berlainan jantina.
Setiausaha Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim (OrphanCARE) yang
menguruskan Baby Hatch itu, Azra Banu, berkata pihaknya terpaksa membuat saringan ketat
untuk membuat pilihan sebelum pemohon itu diletakkan dalam senarai menunggu.
Ini bermakna, mereka yang berada dalam senarai keutamaan akan diutamakan sebaik saja
pusat itu menerima bayi. Keutamaan diberi kepada pasangan yang sudah lama berkahwin,
tetapi tidak mempunyai anak manakala pemohon lain diletakkan sebagai pilihan kedua dan
ketiga.
Katanya, OrphanCARE menerima banyak permohonan yang dihantar melalui talian atau
mereka datang ke pusat jagaan itu dan setakat ini sudah menemuduga 70 pasangan yang
layak berada dalam senarai menunggu manakala lebih 200 lagi permohonan sedang diproses.
"Kita kena kaji, adakah mereka mampu bagi pendidikan, membela anak kecil itu, siasat di mana
mereka tinggal dan mampukah mereka. Ini bukan soal kaya atau miskin, asalkan mereka layak,
cukuplah," katanya kepada Berita Minggu.
Semua permohonan akan disemak rapi untuk memilih pasangan yang layak melalui prosedur
13 sah dengan kerjasama Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat (JKM), hospital, polis serta agensi
berkaitan.
Baby Hatch yang julung kali diperkenalkan di negara ini pada 29 Mei lalu menerima bayi
pertama yang diserahkan kepada pusat itu pada 26 Jun lalu. Bayi lelaki seberat 2.7 kilogram
dilahirkan sehari sebelum itu dan sudah diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat selepas 11 hari
dijaga.
Mengenai maklumat peribadi ibu bapa bayi yang diserahkan, Azra berkata, semua maklumat
adalah rahsia dan dikawal ketat, tetapi mengakui mereka tidak dilindungi mana-mana
peruntukan undang-undang yang menghalang mana-mana pihak mendapatkan maklumat sulit
berkenaan.
Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz ketika mengulas situasi itu berkata,
sepatutnya ada peruntukan khas undang-undang melindungi maklumat berkenaan bagi
menggalakkan lebih banyak pihak memberikan kerjasama membendung gejala membuang
bayi.
"Kita perlukan satu alternatif penyelesaian terbaik. Masalah sudah ada, kita tak boleh biarkan
mereka bunuh bayi tidak berdosa," katanya selepas merasmikan mesyuarat Umno Bahagian
Petaling Jaya Utara, di Kota Damansara, semalam.
Sementara itu, mengulas mengenai kebimbangan mengenai nasib bayi yang mungkin
diserahkan OrphanCARE kepada pasangan bukan Islam, Azra berkata, pihaknya mempunyai
rekod dan maklumat yang digunakan untuk memilih keluarga angkat yang sesuai.
Headline: Baby Hatch langkah bijak selamatkan bayi
Publication: BH
Date of publication: Jul 3, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 034
Byline / Author: Oleh Ibu Yang Prihatin
SAYA amat tertarik dengan OrphanCARE atau Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini atau 'Baby
Hatch' yang dinaungi oleh Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom.
Bukan ingin membelakangkan agama dan budaya kita rakyat Malaysia, tetapi sekurangkurangnya inilah satu cara yang mampu kita lakukan untuk menyelamatkan bayi yang tidak
berdosa daripada terus mati dibunuh oleh orang yang tidak bertanggungjawab.
Kita perlu sedar dan menerima hakikat bahawa dunia sekarang memang sudah akhir zaman
dan ramai manusia yang berhati syaitan yang sanggup melakukan apa saja termasuk
membunuh bayi sendiri akibat keterlanjuran mereka.
Tidak ada rasa insaf di hati manusia ini dan selepas bergelumang dengan dosa maksiat mereka
menambah lagi kerakusan jahat mereka dengan membunuh darah daging mereka sendiri.
Kepada mereka yang tidak dapat menerima kehadiran pusat penjagaan bayi seperti ini, satu
perkara yang saya ingin kita fikirkan bersama. Apakah lagi cara yang paling bagus dan
14 berkesan untuk mengelakkan maksiat, pembuangan serta pembunuhan bayi yang tidak
berdosa?
Kerajaan, ibu bapa dan agama banyak menekankan akibat pergaulan dan seks bebas. Tetapi,
hampir setiap hari kita dikejutkan dengan berita bayi yang mati sama ada dibuang atau dibunuh.
Sampai bila keadaan ini harus berterusan? Apalagi yang kurang di dalam menyedarkan akan
akibat pergaulan dan seks bebas ini? Perkara paling mengejutkan ialah apabila pihak media
mendedahkan akan penemuan bayi yang dibunuh adalah di kalangan orang muda yang
terpelajar dan tak kurang juga di kalangan mereka yang kurang pelajaran tetapi hanyut dibuai
keasyikan dunia.
Oleh itu, saya menyarankan agar semua kita dapat menerima program `Baby Hatch' bagi
memastikan semua bayi yang tidak diingini ini, tidak diperlakukan seperti haiwan. Bayi ini tidak
berdosa dan berhak untuk meneruskan kehidupan mereka. Yang membawa masalah ialah ibu
bapa mereka yang tidak kenal erti belas ihsan kepada bayi yang lahir.
Saya juga menyarankan agar kerajaan mengambil tindakan yang tegas atau menggubal satu
undang-undang bagi membolehkan mana-mana individu yang didapati bersalah kerana
membuang, membunuh atau mendera anak atau bayi mereka agar disebat sebelum
dipenjarakan.
Sebatan yang dikenakan biarlah memberi parut yang amat mendalam kepada ibu bapa ini dan
hukuman yang dijatuhkan biarlah maksimum. Untuk apa kita mengasihani orang yang tidak ada
perasaan kasihan kepada anak sendiri.
Berilah individu ini pengajaran yang akan memberi peringatan kepada sesiapa juga di luar sana
agar tidak melakukan perbuatan yang sama kerana jika tidak mereka juga akan menanggung
azab yang serupa.
IBU YANG PRIHATIN,
Kuala Lumpur.
Headline: OrphanCARE terima bayi lelaki pertama
Publication: BH
Date of publication: Jun 29, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 014
KUALA LUMPUR: Seorang bayi lelaki seberat 2.7 kilogram yang dilahirkan pada Jumaat lalu,
menjadi bayi pertama diserahkan kepada Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim
(OrphanCARE) untuk Baby Hatch atau Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini yang julung kali
dilancarkan di negara ini pada 29 Mei lalu.
Bayi itu yang berada dalam keadaan sihat diserahkan pada Sabtu lalu oleh ibu bapanya
berumur awal 20-an yang masih belum berkahwin dan merahsiakan kandungan itu daripada
pengetahuan keluarga serta rakan masing-masing.
Presiden OrphanCARE, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir berkata, pasangan itu masih belum membuat
15 keputusan untuk membesarkan sendiri anak mereka itu ataupun menyerahkannya kepada
keluarga angkat.
Menceritakan detik penyerahan itu, beliau berkata, pasangan terbabit tiba di pusat berkenaan
pada kira-kira jam 10 pagi dengan si bapa memasuki pusat berkenaan untuk `meninjau' terlebih
dulu manakala si ibu dan anaknya itu menunggu di dalam kereta, sebelum mereka dijemput
masuk kemudian.
"Pasangan berkenaan akan membuat keputusan nanti sama ada mahu anak mereka itu
diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat, " katanya.
Baby Hatch yang beroperasi 24 jam di alamat 6, SS1/24A, Kampung Tunku di Petaling Jaya,
dikendalikan OrphanCARE dan penaungnya Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom.
Headline: Tokoh Islam setuju penubuhan Baby Hatch
Publication: BH
Date of publication: May 31, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
KUALA LUMPUR: Tokoh Islam dalam negara bersetuju dengan penubuhan Baby Hatch atau
Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini yang pertama di Malaysia, yang boleh menyelamatkan bayi
yang tidak diingini.
Mufti Perak, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, berkata bayi yang tidak lagi diingini mesti diselamatkan,
manakala ibu bapa bayi berkenaan harus dikenakan tindakan yang keras supaya memberi
pengajaran kepada orang lain.
"Saya menyokong langkah Kementerian Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan
Masyarakat serta Baby Hatch dalam isu ini kerana bayi berkenaan tidak berdosa.
"Dulu kita tidak bersetuju dengan idea seperti ini kerana takut menghantar mesej yang salah
kepada orang ramai terutama remaja, tapi pada masa sekarang kita sangat perlukan tempat
sebegini untuk bayi yang tidak berdosa," katanya kepada Berita Harian, semalam.
Kelmarin, Penaung OrphanCARE yang juga Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom melancarkan
Pusat Perlindungan Bayi Tidak Diingini atau Baby Hatch pertama dalam negara.
Presiden OrphanCARE, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, berkata organisasi itu bercadang
mewujudkan banyak lagi pusat perlindungan bayi di seluruh negara bagi menyediakan tempat
untuk bayi yang dibuang atau tidak diingini lagi. Baby Hatch yang beroperasi 24 jam
menyediakan tempat perlindungan sihat dan selamat kepada bayi terbabit sebelum diserahkan
kepada keluarga angkat.
Bekas Pegawai Agama Istana Negara, Datuk Abu Hassan Din Al-Hafiz pula berkata, usaha
mewujudkan Baby Hatch adalah baik kerana ia menjadi tempat perlindungan bayi yang tidak
bersalah serta boleh menjamin masa depan bayi itu.
16 "Kalau kita pandang dari segi satu sudut memang menggalakkan zina tapi kita tak boleh
biarkan bayi yang dilahirkan dibuang dan meninggal begitu saja. Malahan bayi berkenaan boleh
diberikan kepada pasangan suami isteri yang mahukan anak dan Islam menganjurkannya,"
katanya.
Penasihat Majlis Agama Negeri Johor, Datuk Noh Gadut, berkata gejala buang bayi pada masa
kini sudah semakin teruk dan kerajaan serta pertubuhan bukan kerajaan wajar mengambil
tanggungjawab menyelesaikan perkara berkenaan.
"Anak-anak kecil ini tidak berdosa dan wajib kita sediakan perlindungan kepada mereka, mana
tahu mereka ini membesar menjadi anak yang soleh dan menjadi pejuang negara pada masa
depan.
"Yang bersalah adalah ibu bapa anak kecil itu. Masyarakat harus bersama mencegah penyakit
sosial ini termasuk melaksanakan undang-undang cegah zina yang ketat," katanya.
Beliau turut menyarankan masyarakat supaya berfikiran terbuka dalam menyelesaikan masalah
buang bayi serta bertanggungjawab mencegah perbuatan zina di kalangan remaja seperti yang
disyorkan oleh Islam.
Headline: Proses dakwaan kes dera, buang bayi dipercepat
Publication: BM
Date of publication: May 30, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 012
KLANG: Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat akan bekerjasama
dengan Pejabat Peguam Negara untuk mempercepatkan proses pendakwaan terhadap mereka
yang disabitkan kesalahan membuang bayi dan penderaan kanak-kanak.
Menterinya, Senator Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, berkata cadangan itu antara langkah
terbaik untuk memastikan mereka yang disiasat segera dibawa ke muka pengadilan untuk
dihukum, sekali gus menjadi pengajaran kepada rakyat.
"Sekarang pun kementerian mendapat kerjasama polis untuk mempercepatkan siasatan,"
katanya selepas merasmikan program Juara Rakyat dan Hari Keluarga Parlimen Kota Raja di
sini, semalam.
Terbaru, seorang remaja perempuan berusia 17 tahun dipercayai menanam mayat bayi lelaki
berhampiran landasan kereta api Stesen Komuter Padang Jawa, di sini, Sabtu lalu direman
empat hari, mulai kelmarin. Turut direman, kakaknya yang berusia 24 tahun kerana disyaki
bersubahat.
Pada majlis berasingan di ibu negara, Shahrizat berkata, lelaki yang melarikan diri kerana
enggan bertanggungjawab selepas menghamilkan wanita tidak terlepas daripada undangundang.
"Sudah terlalu lama wanita saja dipersalahkan dalam kes hamil luar nikah dan pembuangan
bayi tetapi lelaki melarikan diri. Saya memberi amaran kepada bapa ghaib ini mereka tidak akan
terlepas," katanya selepas majlis perasmian Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak
17 Yatim (OrphanCARE) serta pelancaran Baby Hatch atau Pusat Jagaan Bayi Tidak Diingini,
yang pertama di Malaysia.
Perasmian itu disempurnakan Penaung OrphanCARE yang juga Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah
Kalsom.
Shahrizat berkata, beliau tidak menyangka Baby Hatch perlu diwujudkan di Malaysia kerana
negara memiliki kerajaan yang bertanggungjawab serta rakyat penyayang.
Beliau turut menegaskan kewujudan Baby Hatch tidak bertujuan menggalakkan kes kehamilan
luar nikah, sebaliknya menyelamatkan bayi dibuang ibu bapa yang tidak menghendaki mereka.
Presiden OrphanCARE, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, berkata Baby Hatch yang beroperasi 24 jam
adalah pilihan terakhir kepada bayi tidak dikehendaki yang menyediakan tempat perlindungan
sihat dan selamat sebelum diserahkan kepada keluarga angkat.
Headline: Hargai nyawa si kecil
Publication: BH
Date of publication: Apr 13, 2010
Section heading: Sentral
Page number: 019
Byline / Author: Oleh Siti Nur Almizan Aripin
BAYI layaknya dibaluti selimut yang tebal dan selesa, didodoi ibu serta ditatang bapa apatah
lagi di saat baru menjengah dunia. Bukan dibungkus surat khabar lama dan kemudiannya
`ditidurkan' di dalam tong sampah! Keji sungguh manusia yang sanggup memperlakukan
anaknya begitu.
Kali ini, ia berlaku lagi apabila mayat seorang bayi lelaki terpampang di halaman depan akhbar
ini, kelmarin.
Bayi malang itu yang sempurna sifatnya ditemui di dalam tong sampah di Kampung Tanjung,
Sungai Choh, Hulu Selangor.
Mayat yang dibungkus dengan surat khabar dan masih bertali pusat itu dipercayai baru
dilahirkan ditemui pekerja Majlis Daerah Hulu Selangor (MDHS) ketika memulakan kerja
hariannya di kawasan berkenaan, kira-kira jam 8 pagi.
Besarnya kuasa Allah, ketika pekerja itu sedang mengangkat tong sampah ke dalam lori, satu
plastik yang di dalamnya mengandungi bungkusan dibalut dengan surat khabar jatuh
berhampiran kakinya.
Bungkusan yang disangka sampah diangkat, tetapi mengejutkan apabila sebelah kaki bayi
terjuntai keluar lalu terselamatlah bayi yang sudah tidak bernyawa itu daripada terbiar dimamah
ulat atau digonggong anjing serta berkubur tanpa pusara di kawasan pembuangan sampah.
Walaupun ditemui sudah tidak bernyawa, polis percaya bayi yang tidak berdosa itu meninggal
ketika dilahirkan, namun sekurang-kurangnya jika bayi itu lahir dari rahim seorang ibu
beragama Islam, mayatnya dapat disempurnakan mengikut hukum syarak.
18 Rasa sebak dan geram bersatu, tetapi apa yang boleh masyarakat lakukan kerana perbuatan
tidak bermoral seperti perilaku seks bebas sudah sebati di dalam nadi generasi sekarang.
Pada mereka, balasan dosa itu apabila di akhirat kerana ketika di dunia, menikmati kehendak
nafsu lebih utama. Muda hanya datang sekali, tapi sedarkah mereka, noda hitam di dalam
kehidupan mereka akan kekal menghantui dan berulang di dalam kehidupan anak cucu mereka
nanti.
Bayi yang ditemui hidup atau mati boleh dikira, tetapi bagaimana pula nasib janin yang
digugurkan secara haram. Rasanya tidak terhitung lagi dan apa yang pernah dikhabarkan oleh
seorang pakar sakit puan kepada penulis, khidmat membuang bayi sebenarnya didalangi
rakan-rakannya sendiri, iaitu doktor bertauliah.
Khabarnya, sepanjang minggu, rakannya itu meladani kehendak ramai wanita yang datang
menggugurkan bayi di sebuah klinik sekitar Jalan Pudu dan jumlahnya boleh melebihi sepuluh
kes pada hari minggu.
Ada bayi hasil hubungan dengan sama bangsa dan katanya lagi, kes hubungan terlarang
antara wanita tempatan bersama lelaki warga asing antaranya Indonesia, Bangladesh dan
Awang Hitam juga tidak kurang banyaknya.
Justeru, apa reaksi kita sebagai masyarakat dan ibu bapa? Bimbang? Risau? Bingung? Apa
juga reaksi, ketahuilah bahawasanya ia adalah isu masyarakat zaman sekarang yang perlu
dibincang dan diperhalusi sebaik-baiknya.
Mungkin negara ini juga perlu sebuah pusat khas yang dikenali dengan istilah Baby Hatch
seperti ditubuhkan di Jepun dan Jerman bagi memberi sokongan kepada ibu tunggal yang tidak
boleh membesarkan anak mereka.
Bukan untuk menggalakkan seks bebas, tetapi untuk menyelamatkan nyawa yang tidak
berdosa daripada mati dibunuh ibu atau bapa sendiri. Ketahuilah, ramai wanita yang benarbenar rindu ingin membelai cahaya mata sendiri. Ramai wanita yang mahu merasa nikmat ibu,
tapi tidak ada peluang itu.
Rayu saya, janganlah dibuang nyawa yang tidak berdosa itu. Buang ego anda dan biarlah dia
hidup untuk menikmati rezekinya di bumi Allah ini, biar tanpa ibu yang melahirkan di sisi.
INFO
Di Malaysia, sebuah pertubuhan beroperasi tanpa berasaskan keuntungan diberi nama
OrphanCare yang fungsinya hampir sama seperti Baby Hatch diwujudkan bertujuan
memberikan kasih sayang sebuah keluarga kepada anak yatim dan bayi yang terbuang.
Bagi ibu bapa yang ingin mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai pusat itu boleh melayari laman web
www.orphancare.org.my.
19 Headline: Raising funds to save more unwanted babies nationwide
Publication: NST
Date of publication: May 18, 2011
Section heading: Streets
Page number: 004
Byline / Author: By C. Premananthini
PETALING JAYA: OrphanCARE's Baby Hatch is marking its first anniversary by organising a
charity dinner.
Funds raised will be used to run the centre's programmes throughout the year and extend its
services to other areas in the country.
The dinner will be held on Saturday at 8pm at the Grand Ballroom, Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Kuala Lumpur.
The event will be graced by the Sultanah of Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom, the patron of the centre.
OrphanCARE president Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir said the centre's objective was to give
orphans and abandoned babies the chance to experience the love, care and security of a
family.
"OrphanCARE was established in 2008 and we have carried out a number of activities to raise
public awareness.
"The centre serves as a life line for unwanted babies born to unwed young mothers who, in a
state of desperation and hopelessness, may otherwise have resorted to abandoning them," said
Faizah.
With the help of the Women, Family and Community DevelopmentMinistry, she said, the centre
had placed 30 babies with loving families.
She said every year about 100 babies were reported abandoned. Half are found dead or left in
rubbish bins or public toilets.
"At least, if the unwed young mothers knows about our centre," they can leave the babies here,
said Faizah.
I do not think they want to go to that length unless it's desperation which leads them to dump
their babies in places like public toilets or rubbish bins, because all mothers love their babies."
Faizah said: "Here, the babies will be put up for adoption. We have 600 parents on our waiting
list. We have screened 100 parents.
Selection is based on the couples' financial stability. They also have to be physically fit and
mentally able to adopt."
She said they wanted parents who could really provide support and care for the babies.
After the adoption process has been completed, she said the babies were monitored for two
20 years, with regular visits.
She said the centre was planning to extend its services, especially in Johor, Penang, Kelantan,
Sarawak and Hulu Kelang.
"We intend to have more baby hatches because one baby hatch in Petaling Jaya is not enough.
It only caters to people who live in the area."
Faizah said the centre had received proposals from hospitals, such as Kuala Lumpur Hospital
and University Malaya Medical Centre to set up baby hatches.
The centre's secretary and dinner committee chairperson, Azra Banu, said funds would be
raised through the sale of dinner tables or individual seats.
She said the dinner tables were priced from RM2,500 to RM30,000, while the seats were priced
at RM250.
"We appeal to corporate bodies to contribute towards this cause, as we know the problem of
baby dumping has reach an acute stage. Not a day goes by that we do not hear news of baby
dumpings everywhere.
"Maybe, through this we can work together to reduce the incident of baby dumping and give
mothers the option of placing their babies here."
Highlights planned for the evening include a video presentation of OrphanCARE's Baby Hatch
achievements, and entertainment by celebrities such as Harith Iskander, Noryn Aziz, Shinji,
Pacai, Hardy Arby, Shanel, Natasha Alya and others.
Headline: A place for baby
Publication: NST
Date of publication: May 17, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 016
WHEN OrphanCare first mooted the idea of setting up a baby hatch at its centre early last year,
the idea was greeted with howls of protest from various sectors of society, including the
government. A baby hatch would encourage promiscuous behaviour, it was argued, because it
made abandoning illegitimate babies easier. Now, nearly one year after its launch, OrphanCare
intends to install more hatches nationwide, including at government hospitals.
Of the 30 babies that OrphanCare has welcomed in the past year, only one was actually
deposited in the hatch. The rest were brought into the centre itself by either their mothers or
both
parents, who came in and spoke to the centre's staff. That these parents gave up their babies in
face-to-face meetings during the centre's opening hours, and not with the surreptitious
anonymity of dropping the baby in the hatch in the middle of the night, is significant. It suggests
that what these parents wanted was a place in which they could ensure that the baby could be
left in good hands, but which at the same time guaranteed that this could be done quietly, safely
21 and confidentially. So, although there was a hatch available, its function was actually symbolic,
to say: "We do not judge you."
In this, the baby hatch is indeed a success because it prevents these babies from being
dumped in dustbins and toilets, and ending up dead. Significantly, above OrphanCare's hatch is
the sign "Baby Hatch" in English, which has come to mean "Drop baby here". But its Malay
translation is "Pelindung Bayi", which means "baby shelter" or "baby protector" - a description
that truly reflects the hatch's purpose.
These abandoned babies will, hopefully, be adopted by couples who want and can afford to look
after them. But even so, a state in which unwanted babies are created then abandoned by their
parents is never the ideal. More than ever now, there is a desperate need for sexual
reproductive health education. Counselling and access to family planning methods must not be
limited to wedded couples. Having sex, getting pregnant and having a baby and all the
attendant responsibilities that come with that should be a conscious, mature and informed
choice, not an accident born of ignorance. Regardless of society's moralistic stance on
illegitimate conception, it must not shy away from the fact that as many as one out of every 10
babies born last year was illegitimate. It must instead aim to absolve these children from the
sins of their parents once they are born.
Headline: More baby hatches `to meet rising demand'
Publication: NST
Date of publication: May 14, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 004
Byline / Author: By Minderjeet Kaur; Roy See Wei Zhi
PETALING JAYA: More OrphanCare baby hatches will be set up nationwide to cater to
overwhelming demand.
The highest demand is from Kuala Lumpur Hospital, where more than 600 babies were born out
of wedlock last year.
Another hospital -- University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) -- planned to open two such
hatches in its vicinity, said OrphanCare president Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir.
She said baby hatches would also be opened in Selangor, Kelantan, Penang, Johor and
Sarawak next year.
"They (the hospitals) said the number of children born out of wedlock was on the rise and
wanted the centre to help find foster parents for these babies," she told the New Straits Times at
the centre in SS1/24A in Kampung Tunku here.
The centre, which opened in May last year, has received 30 babies from mothers aged 18 to 32.
To date, 600 childless parents have registered with the centre to adopt the babies.
Faizah said the unwed mothers were from a mixed group, including students and the
22 unemployed.
"We believe that fear of being stigmatised by society is the main reason babies are left at our
centre."
She also said only one mother abandoned her child in the basket while others walked into the
centre "still looking tired after delivery".
"The volunteers told me that some talked to them before handing over their babies to ensure
their children would be in good hands.
"There were some who even requested to visit their children. We also had mothers who breastfed their babies for a week.
"After that, requests to visit stopped because they wanted to move on with their lives."
Faizah said the babies would be handed over to the Welfare Department or orphanages while
the centre would go through the list of potential parents registered with the centre.
"The process of finding suitable parents normally takes three to four days and priority is given to
childless couples."
Parents who wanted to adopt babies from the hatch must be mentally and physically fit, she
added.
"They should also earn more than RM3,000 a month so that the child can be assured of good
care."
Those who adopt the babies would be monitored for two years.
"It takes about two years for Muslim parents to legally adopt a child while non-Muslims have to
wait for four to five months under civil law."
As a result of the long list of childless couples registered with the centre, Faizah said it recently
assisted an orphanage to find foster parents for eight children, aged 3 to 12.
"Normally, once these children reach the age of 18, they have to leave the orphanages. They
are alone and feel lost. Most of them also suffer low self-esteem and are not ready to face the
world," she said, adding that the centre hoped to find more foster parents for those living in
orphanages.
OrphanCare, a non-profitable organisation, will be holding a fundraising dinner to pay for its
operations and road shows aimed at educating the public on the plight of orphans.
Tables for the dinner, which will be held on May 21 at Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Kuala Lumpur,
are priced at RM2,500 and above or RM250 per seat.
23 Headline: Slow start, but it has saved lives
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Apr 9, 2011
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 014
Byline / Author: By Masami Mustaza
ORPHANCARE, a non-governmental organisation dedicated to saving unwanted babies, was
founded by the late Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir on May 29 last year. His futuristic-looking baby
hatches cost RM20,000 each. MASAMI MUSTAZA finds out how the noble efforts have
developed
WHEN the nation's first baby hatch opened its doors to desperate women who had given birth
out of wedlock, there was much debate on whether the hatch would be a tool to save lives or
encourage illicit sex.
Almost a year since its launch on May 29, the non-governmental organisation OrphanCare had
provided 18 babies with a second chance in life. They gave the babies a family and a place to
call home.
Granted, 18 sounds like a paltry sum compared with the number of abandoned babies that had
been reported.
In October, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry revealed that cases of
abandoned babies numbered at 407 from 2005 to last year.
OrphanCare deputy president Noraini Hashim and parents' committee coordinator Kim Nazli
Rozali both acknowledged that "there is still much that needs to be done".
Speaking exclusively to the New Straits Times, Noraini said the main reason why the
effectiveness of the baby hatch was reduced was because it could not reach out to mothers with
unwanted babies from other localities.
"Publicity on the baby hatch has been focused mostly in the Klang Valley due to its location
here in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya.
"We've plans to set up a second one in a different location but we've yet to find a suitable
place."
For example, the hatch should be set up at a location that was both accessible and private.
The hatch in Kampung Tunku was set up in a residential area near the main road and a bus
stop. Visitors could also access the area by train.
At the same time, its location was also private enough to avoid scrutiny, which would be
preferred by mothers who wanted to deposit their babies.
24 Noraini said: "We are also looking at forming collaborations with youth-centric publications and
programmes to raise better awareness.
"There has been much support from the mainstream media and we have held public awareness
programmes, but we may not have reached out to the intended audience, the teenagers."
OrphanCare also held talks in universities and colleges, and had been approached by several
college publications to highlight its baby hatch initiative.
To some extent, the efforts had paid off as more university and college students were taking
part in OrphanCare's activities and others had planned to write about baby dumping in their
theses.
Word of mouth also helped to give an avenue for unwed women, some hailing as far as Kota
Baru, Kelantan, who had the heart to insist that their babies went to families that would love and
care for them.
Kim said even before the hatch was launched, the NGO had already received six children
because of the media publicity.
"We have also managed to find homes for several children aged between 2 and 5. Not all the
babies we received were locals. We had two to three Filipinos, one Nigerian, two Indonesians
and one South African," she said.
All in all, 27 babies and children had found happy homes through the organisation.
But for 500 people on OrphanCare's adoption waiting list, they must wait and be hopeful until a
new arrival comes in.
"Many who want to adopt are of course, childless. For those who already have children of their
own, we encourage them to take in older children to give opportunities for childless couples to
get a baby."
Noraini said for some of the women who came to drop off their unwanted babies, OrphanCare's
counsellors discovered that they were ignorant about protective sex.
"These are the girls who don't seem like the promiscuous kind. Some are tricked by the men
they
loved into having unprotected sex and for others, they are just plain ignorant.
"There are girls who come in with their boyfriends and we ended up giving the boys a lecture on
safe sex."
The women had their own stories to tell behind their pregnancies but as long as organisations
like OrphanCare are around to support them, these unwanted babies will always have a chance
at life.
Not so easy to set up a hatch
ON March 8, the first baby hatch in Pandan constituency was launched at an orphanage run by
25 Yayasan Sunbeams Homes in Taman Muda, Ampang.
The initiative was spearheaded by Pandan member of parliament Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat,
with the collaboration of the Malaysian Volunteer Fire and Rescue Association and Road Safety
Marshall Club founder Captain K. Balasupramaniam, whose team came up with the design and
fabrication of the hatch.
A second hatch is on the way and will be placed at the Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen Buddhist
temple in Jenjarom, Kuala Langat. Another hatch for a third location is currently under study.
Ong said the delay in setting up the baby hatches (he had announced eight baby hatch
locations in Pandan last August) was attributed to challenges in the hatch's design and
suitability of the locations.
Ong said the team also had to consider other concerns, especially the mothers', and had
decided not to install closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) because "we don't want to deter
them from depositing their unwanted babies".
"These mothers are doing this anonymously and do not want to risk being identified."
Ong said he had received many offers from charity organisations and welfare homes to place a
baby hatch at their premises.
"It is very important that these premises have a live-in caretaker to ensure that they can be
alerted immediately whenever a baby is deposited into the hatch.
"It is also important to address the sensitivities of the communities in the location. When I
announced that I would be setting up baby hatches in my constituency, some people questioned
whether baby dumping was rampant in Pandan or if I was advocating dumping babies in a
hatch.
"What I advocate is saving lives and we've got to start somewhere. Just because a hatch is
located in Pandan, doesn't mean that those from elsewhere cannot deposit their babies there.
"If the mother is humane enough, she would at least treasure the life of her baby, even if she
doesn't want it."
Adnan the driving force and financier of first-ever hatch
ORPHANCARE's baby hatch was the brainchild of its founding president, the late Datuk Adnan
Mohd Tahir.
Adnan was the driving force behind the nation's first baby hatch, with the design and funding
coming from his own interior design and construction company.
The hatch cost about RM20,000 to build with facilities like a closed-circuit television camera for
monitoring purposes.
The hatch is a one-square metre box with a cot, an air-conditioner, a lamp and a sensor that
sounds the alarm in the caretaker's room whenever a baby is placed inside it.
26 To ensure the safety of the baby and to prevent it from being snatched by baby racketeers, the
hatch's door has a mechanism that keeps it locked after it is opened and closed the first time.
OrphanCare deputy president Noraini Hashim said Adnan drew inspiration for the hatch's
design from Germany, Japan and Italy, which also had baby hatches.
The hatch was launched on May 29 last year by the Sultanah of Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom, and
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Couples or mothers who were unable to care for their babies could drop them at the centre,
which had a strict policy in safeguarding the identity of the parents.
Help OrphanCare raise funds with dinner
ORPHANCARE will be holding a fund-raising dinner in conjunction with the first anniversary of
its baby hatch.
The dinner, planned on May 21 at Kuala Lumpur Mandarin Oriental Hotel, will be attended by
the Sultanah of Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom. OrphanCare is appealing to the generosity of
corporations and individuals to help sustain the organisation's efforts to curb baby dumping.
Funds raised would go towards maintaining OrphanCare's baby hatch in Kampung Tunku,
Petaling Jaya, as well as the setting up of future baby hatches and roadshows to educate the
public on baby dumping and the plight of orphans.
For inquiries, visit www.orphancare.org.my or contact OrphanCare deputy president Noraini
Hashim at 012-277 1710.
Headline: 14 babies in safe homes in six months
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Dec 5, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 006
Byline / Author: By Shanti Gunaratnam
KUALA LUMPUR: It has been a busy six months at OrphanCARE.
Fourteen babies have been dropped off at its baby hatch during that period. And the good news
is, they have all been adopted.
OrphanCARE president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said there had also been a lot of enquiries
from those who were thinking of handing over their babies.
"This week, there was one drop off. A single mother handed her baby boy, who is now
undergoing medical checks at a government hospital.
"Ever since we started the baby hatch at our premises in Kampung Tunku in Petaling Jaya early
this year, pregnant women have come to speak to us about giving up their babies for adoption.
"Of the 14 cases, only one was an anonymous drop-off. The rest came to us to take a closer
27 look at the facilities and to seek an assurance from us that their babies would go to good
homes," Adnan told the New Sunday Times.
OrphanCARE guarantees absolute confidentiality to those who leave their newborn at the baby
hatch.
The non-governmental organisation launched the first baby hatch in Malaysia and the Asean
region on May 29 with the support of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
Mothers or fathers who drop off their babies at the hatch can walk away without having to
answer any questions.
However, they may ask about their babies later, if they want, even years after they have
dropped them off.
They can do so even if their child has been given up for adoption.
"The baby hatch has brought a lot of publicity for OrphanCARE. There is now a lot of awareness
among the people. They know there is a place for them to drop off their babies, instead of
abandoning them. Their babies will be placed in good homes."
OrphanCARE has, to date, placed 20 babies and nine older orphans with adoptive parents.
Currently, they have 100 couples on their waiting list. A total of 400 more are waiting to be
interviewed to be placed on the list.
The air-conditioned, RM15,000 baby hatch is fitted with a closed circuit television camera and
sensors that will trigger an alarm in the caretaker's room when a baby is dropped off.
Those dropping off their babies will have to enter a gate, which is unlocked, to place their babies
in the hatch. They need to sign consent forms made available near the hatch and provide the
medical chit that was issued when the baby was born.
Adnan said once a baby was dropped off, OrphanCARE would ensure that the child was given
away to adoptive parents "in a matter of days" to enable the baby to bond with the new parents.
"The good news is that many single mothers are also dropping off their babies at the Welfare
Services Department to be given up for adoption."
OrphanCARE works with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to help
match and place abandoned babies with suitable parents.
Countries such as Germany, Japan, the United States, Pakistan and Japan have adopted the
baby hatch system to support mothers who are unable to care for their children.
"With the baby hatch, we want to save the babies and prevent them from being abandoned.
"We want unwed mothers to come to us instead of abandoning their babies or killing them.
"Every life that is saved is important for us."
28 Adnan also said mothers who have babies out of wedlock were often in a fragile state and they
did not know where to turn to or what to do with their babies.
* What do you think? Send your views to [email protected]
Headline: 8 more baby hatches by month-end, says Ong
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Aug 29, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 015
KUALA LUMPUR: Pandan member of parliament Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat has identified eight
sites to place baby hatches for desperate mothers to drop their unwanted babies anonymously.
The baby hatches would be placed at the premises of local non-governmental organisations,
including Yayasan Sunbeam Homes and Yayasan Bakti Nusa, by month end.
Once babies are received, the NGOs will alert Ong's service centre in Pandan Jaya, which
would in turn notify the police and the Welfare Department. The latter would then arrange for the
babies' adoption.
"There will be no closed-circuit television monitoring of the people who leave their babies with
us," Ong said. "This is because we're not interested in punishing people. We just want to help
save lives."
However, to ensure that everything is done in accordance with the law, he is seeking input from
his lawyers to fine-tune the process.
Once properly established, he hopes the baby hatch programme, named `Life Saving of
Abandoned Babies', will spread beyond Pandan.
"We intend to take the programme to other states. How far this can go depends entirely on the
interest and willingness of the NGOs to participate," said the former MCA president.
Ong said he had been discussing the idea of the baby hatches with various parties for several
years but the idea was put on hold because there were concerns that certain quarters were
more interested in moral policing.
"We have been keeping tabs on reported cases of abandoned babies over the years and we
think it is high time for us to set up an intervention programme."
Ong said there were still people who would argue and split hairs over the issue of premarital sex
and the responsibilities of being a parent.
"In the meantime, babies are being born and abandoned. I don't want to waste time on rhetoric
or platitudes. What concerns me is how to salvage the situation, how to save lives."
The funding from the programme will come from a coalition of local NGOs.
29 Ong's programme is the third such endeavour in Malaysia this year to provide mothers a place
to leave their unwanted babies to arrest the baby-dumping phenomenon in the country.
OphanCARE, an NGO based in Petaling Jaya, started the baby hatch system here in May after
several countries in the world, including Germany, Japan and Pakistan, adopted it to care for
babies left by mothers who could not raise them on their own.
So far, OrphanCARE has received seven babies at its first baby hatch in Kampung Tunku.
Six of the babies have been adopted by couples screened by OrphanCARE.
In the wake of OrphanCARE's success, Selangor Menteri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim
announced on Tuesday that Selangor will soon have its own baby hatch at Rumah Balkis, to be
run by the state government's Women's Welfare and Charity Organisation (Pekawanis).
Headline: Seeking ideal sites for baby hatches
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Aug 27, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 012
Byline / Author: By Yisrawee Palanisamy; Maizatul Ranai; Atiqa Hazellah
The concluding instalment of a two-part series on baby dumping discusses ideal locations for
baby hatches, explores the extent of the unwed mothers' anguish and examines those 'lurid
lyrics'. YISRAWEE PALANISAMY, MAIZATUL RANAI and ATIQA HAZELLAH report.
THE organisation which set up the nation's first baby hatch at a bungalow in Kampung Tunku,
Petaling Jaya, is conducting research to recommend the ideal locations for such centres.
OrphanCARE has cared for seven babies since its opening in May when it can actually - as the
accompanying picture illustrates - accommodate more.
Its secretary, Azra Banu, said opinion was split over suitable sites; some thought visibility would
help while others believed secluded spots offered comfort, given the issue of social stigma.
"Right now, we are looking at setting up baby hatches at hospitals, maternity clinics and local
council buildings which are open 24 hours daily."
Malaysian Human Rights Commission commissioner James Nayagam, for one, believes that
easy accessibility is a top priority.
On the other hand, anonymity is central in the latest plan to save abandoned babies put
together by Pandan member of parliament Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat.
Baby cots will be placed at the premises of non-governmental organisations where mothers can
leave their babies anonymously.
The NGOs will then alert Ong's service centre in Pandan Jaya, which will in turn get in touch
30 with the police and the Welfare Department.
Yayasan Bakti Nusa and a number of NGOs are working with Ong on the project to be launched
at the end of this month.
Rumah Nur Salam caretaker Raja Azizan Suhaimi Raja Abd Latiff, 51, feels that places of
worship offer the most suitable location.
"I feel that these will be the ideal location, as they will instil fear in the hearts of the teenagers
not to commit any more wrongdoing," he said.
Assistant supervisor Kesavan Nair, 50, said baby hatches were an immediate necessity.
"The best locations for baby hatches are hot spots, such as factories or squatter areas," said the
grandfather of two.
Local authorities can perhaps study the "Safe Haven" law which was introduced in 1999 in the
United States as an effort to combat baby dumping.
The law allows parents to surrender their babies in surrender sites, such as police stations,
hospitals, rescue squads and fire stations, without fear of being arrested or prosecuted.
While the babies are given to the proper authorities, the identity of the parents will not be
revealed to the court.
The law, which was first introduced in Texas, had reportedly saved many lives as parents were
given the option to surrender their child safely instead of aborting, killing or dumping them.
It was reported that states across the US were enacting the law. Although the state laws are
different, they all ensure the safety of babies and the anonymity of parents who decide to
relinquish their claim on the child.
31 Headline: `A case for more baby hatches'
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Aug 20, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 004
Byline / Author: By Ili Liyana Mokhtar; Daniel Bariga
KUALA LUMPUR: OrphanCARE, the administrator of the nation's first baby hatch, is urging
non-governmental organisations, hospitals and clinics to set up baby hatches in view of the
increase of baby dumping cases.
Its president, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, said yesterday the centre had saved seven babies, six
of whom had been adopted in the past two months.
The seventh baby was dropped of yesterday by a rape victim.
Adnan said the mother of the week-old baby was an 18-year-old student who was raped by a
25-year-old man.
"The baby boy will be put up for adoption once we get the documentation done. If we can save
seven babies, just think how many more can be saved if there are 10 centres around the Klang
Valley."
The six babies, comprising two girls and four boys, were dropped of at the hatch anonymously.
"All of them were newborn except for an 11-month-old, which was a unique case as the
guardian could not take care of the baby any more due to poor health," said Adnan.
He said NGOs, hospitals and clinics in other states should set up baby hatches at strategic
locations.
"Some young mothers do not have the means or are not in the right condition to travel here to
drop of the babies. So, we need more baby hatches to save more lives."
Adnan said OrphanCARE was helping two hospitals in the Klang Valley to set up baby hatches
but declined to name them.
"We would like other hospitals and clinics to approach us as well. No baby should be left to die
in deplorable conditions just because its mother does not know where to turn to."
The organisation is also looking to working with universities and colleges in several awareness
programmes in October.
"Many are unaware of our existence and we are working hard to address that."
OrphanCARE has 400 parents waiting to adopt babies.
The baby hatch was launched on May 29 by Women, Family and Community Development
32 Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
Couples or mothers who are unable to care for their babies can drop them at the centre, which
has a strict policy in safeguarding the identity of the parents to protect them from being
persecuted or prosecuted.
The setting-up caused a storm of protest with some quarters arguing that the baby hatch would
encourage premarital sex.
Others, meanwhile, lauded the move which they said would help cut down the rising number of
abandoned babies in the country.
Headline: First baby left at hatch adopted
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jul 7, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 011
KUALA LUMPUR: The first infant to be dropped off at the country's sole baby hatch
OrphanCARE has been adopted.
The baby boy, who was brought to the centre at just a day old by his parents, was adopted by
"a
couple who have been carefully selected from the OrphanCARE's list of eligible parents", the
centre announced in a statement yesterday.
"In keeping with the rights of both the biological and adoptive parents to confidentiality, no other
information pertaining to the adoption and the baby will be released," it said.
The baby's unmarried biological parents had taken him to the non-profit centre on June 26 and
after receiving counselling, the couple, in their 20s, decided that it would be best to leave the
baby there.
OrphanCARE was opened on May 29 in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, with the aim of
reducing the number of abandoned babies and changing the mindset of society towards
orphans.
It has so far arranged 14 successful adoptions for babies and children between the ages of four
and 12 using its database of 300 parents who wish to adop
33 Headline: Solutions from Welfare Dept
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jul 3, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 006
Byline / Author: By Rozanna Latiff
KUALA LUMPUR: Options are aplenty for parents who are unable to care for their children, the
Welfare Department said yesterday.
Couples faced with unexpected or unwanted pregnancies are encouraged to approach the
various institutions under the department to "drop off" their babies.
Similiar to OrphanCARE, the country's first baby hatch, the 104 district welfare offices, 60
institutions and 55 clinics set up by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry
are open to unwed parents who wish to give up their children for adoption.
Welfare Department director-general Datuk Meme Zainal Rashid said these welfare offices
provided the same services as a baby hatch..
"Not everyone will have access to the baby hatch. Therefore, welfare agencies are another
place for young people to get help regarding unplanned pregnancies, especially in rural areas,"
she said yesterday.
Meme said the same procedures as those implemented at the OrphanCARE were applicable to
protect the parents' identities.
"Confidentiality is important to ensure the parents would not face persecution."
She said all parties, including parents, must take responsibility in educating their children on
their responsibilities and to provide them with moral support.
"Many parents will disown their unwed daughter when she gets pregnant and this often leaves
the girl with few options."
Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia (FHRAM) chairman Dr Kamaruzaman
Ali said welfare homes and organisations that provided help to young unwed mothers should
publicise their addresses and phone numbers.
He said welfare home caregivers should also be skilled, sensitive and non-judgmental towards
unwed mothers.
"These girls have already made mistakes and they should not be punished further.
"Instead, we must guide them to make better choices for both their children and themselves."
He also called for decision-makers to take a bold step in implementing a comprehensive
reproductive health education syllabus in schools.
"Although it is a sensitive issue, it is better for our children to receive proper guidance and
34 education, not just on the biological but also the social, emotional and moral aspects as well."
He also suggested that the syllabus be complemented by religious or moral education for a
more complete approach.
Headline: A choice between life and death
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jul 1, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 017
Byline / Author: By Chok Suat Ling
A BABY was "hatched" five days ago. The newborn boy was dropped off by his parents, a
young unmarried couple, at OrphanCARE's baby hatch in Petaling Jaya, the first such facility in
the country.
Since then, the organisation and this newspaper have received a deluge of calls from everyone,
except perhaps Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, offering to adopt the cherubic infant.
How could anyone bear to give away that gurgling, pink-cheeked bundle?
The baby can't be given up for adoption just yet, however, as the couple has only given
OrphanCARE temporary custody.
Whether the 20-something parents decide to come back, the baby is in safe hands, and will
likely find a happy home.
What would have happened to the infant if not for the hatch?
Would it have ended up on someone's doorstep? Savaged and mutilated?
Part of a gory photo montage on abandoned babies in the newspapers? Burnt with the day's
refuse?
News of the first drop, however, spooked some.
That the hatch was there was one thing; to have a newborn dropped off quite another.
Have we opened the floodgates? When will the next drop be?
Are we encouraging a society of drop 'em and dump 'em parents?
Already, another unwed mother has called OrphanCARE to ask about her options.
Will this eventually spawn a reality show?
Shouldn't those who abandon their babies be raked over the coals? Why are they being
35 shielded and bestowed the privilege of anonymity?
Baby hatches have been introduced in several other countries, besides Malaysia.
Not all were enthusiastic over the hatches in those countries either.
The babyklappe in Germany have remained controversial since their inception in 2001, and
continue to have detractors.
Experts there say since the hatches were introduced, the number of abandoned infants has not
actually gone down.
This shows that the really desperate mothers are not being reached.
The deaths of several infants near the hatches in Berlin also raised questions as to whether
they were of any use.
Japan's baby hatch sparked controversy as well.
A Roman Catholic hospital set up the hatch in 2007 despite opposition from conservative
politicians. Dubbed the "stork's cradle", the hatch raised eyebrows.
What made more people look at it askance was when hospital staff opened the hatch one day
and found a 3-year-old boy in it.
His father had squeezed him into the tiny box and this had triggered the alarm.
The boy did not fit into the hospital's - or anyone else's - definition of a "baby", so the father was
investigated for child abandonment.
It was fortunate that the boy could tell hospital staff his name, age and give a description of his
father.
That may have been a one-off case, but some remain unconvinced.
They shake their heads despairingly when talking about hatches and call it the new form of
abandonment.
Of course, what's best would be for us to build a society in which the hatch will never be
needed. But that is improbable for now.
Just two days ago, two babies were found abandoned in the Klang Valley, both on top of
rubbish bins.
The babies were found on time, and survived.
A hatch may be far from an ideal idea, but it is better for a child to end up alive within its safe
confines than dead in a dumpster.
It is certainly more viable in the short term than sex education (which the Education Ministry has
dismissed as unnecessary), or giving unwed girls more support before and after they give birth.
36 It is also much easier to implement, and not as messy, than what was proposed by an irate
Senator Ahmad Husin at Dewan Negara recently - castrate the men who make girls pregnant
out of wedlock.
So, until the day the hatch is no longer needed, perhaps in a millennium or two, parents who are
unable to care for their babies can drop them off at OrphanCARE at No. 6, SS1/24A, Kampung
Tunku, Petaling Jaya.
For those mothers who don't own a car, or whose boyfriends have either fled or refuse to drive
them there, take the LRT to Taman Bahagia and walk a short distance.
The main gate is unlocked and no busybodies will be around to ask any questions.
Drop off baby, depart, and don't do it again.
Headline: Many call in hoping to adopt baby boy
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jun 30, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
KUALA LUMPUR: The telephone at OrphanCARE, the first baby hatch in the country, has been
ringing non-stop ever since news of the first baby's arrival came to light on Sunday.
The callers have expressed hope in adopting the 2.7kg baby boy who has yet to be named.
"The centre has received calls nonstop from the public asking how they could go about adopting
the baby," OrphanCARE president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said yesterday.
They have now joined the growing list of potential adoptive parents.
Currently, there are between 100 and 300 people who have registered to be adoptive parents.
Adnan, however, pointed out that no decision has been made on the fate of the baby as the
natural parents have asked the centre for time before they decide on what to do.
The infant was born on Friday to an unmarried couple in their 20s.
They had concealed the pregnancy from their families and friends.
Instead of dropping the child off anonymously, the parents had walked in to talk to OrphanCARE
administrators.
The parents granted OrphanCARE temporary custody until they could decide whether to keep
the child or give it up for adoption.
"But we haven't received any visitors to see the baby. The parents have also not seen the baby
since they dropped him off on Saturday."
37 He said the organisation will provide a psychologist and other experts and lawyers to handle
legal matters pertaining to the adoption if the parents decide to give up the baby.
The centre is also in discussion with the Welfare Department to interview interested parents to
adopt the baby.
Parents who are unable to care for their babies can drop them at OrphanCARE, which is
located at No 6, SS1/24A, Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya.
The infants will be cared for in the centre for a maximum of three months before pairing them
with a suitable family for adoption.
The baby hatch is a place where single mothers drop off their newborn babies anonymously. It
is popular in Germany, Japan, Pakistan.
The government set up the baby hatch here to try and curb the number of cases involving
abandoned babies.
Headline: Parents undecided on baby boy left at hatch
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jun 29, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
Byline / Author: By Evangeline Majawat
PETALING JAYA: A baby boy, the first infant to be dropped off at the country's only baby hatch,
will not be adopted any time soon.
The parents of the healthy 2.7kg baby, who has yet to be named, have granted temporary
custody to OrphanCARE after talking to its administrators.
OrphanCARE president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said yesterday the parents, both of whom are
unmarried, were undecided whether they wanted to keep the child or to give him up for
adoption.
"We're holding the baby for a week or two, pending the parents' decision," he said.
The couple, in their early 20s, turned up at the centre at No. 6, SS1/24A, Kampung Tunku,
about 10am on Saturday.
The baby was delivered on Friday.
The couple had kept the pregnancy a secret from their families.
While the baby hatch allows anonymous drop-offs, the parents walked in to talk to
OrphanCARE's administrators.
Relating the incident, Adnan said the father came in first to check out the place, leaving the
mother and baby in the car.
38 "We invited the mother to come in with the baby. They didn't want either families to know, so
they came here to check out their options."
OrphanCARE has a strict policy in safeguarding the identities of the parents to protect them
from being persecuted or prosecuted.
Adnan said OrphanCARE had shortlisted 100 potential adoptive parents out of 300 interested.
Half of them are Muslims.
The OrphanCARE baby hatch was launched on May 29 by Women, Family and Community
Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil.
The set-up caused a storm of protest with some quarters arguing that the baby hatch would
encourage premarital sex.
Others lauded the move which they said would help cut down the rising number of abandoned
babies in the country.
Headline: Hatch a practical solution, for now
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jun 19, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 017
Byline / Author: By Nuraina Samad
SO far the reaction has been one of shock and utter dismay: "Oh my God! Oh no, not another
one!"
There is also a tangible sense of helplessness, which is understandable because it is a problem
that you and I are not able to deal with or overcome. Not by ourselves. And certainly not by the
end of this year, or the next.
Tell me, how does this grab you? Baby dumping; discovering dead babies, usually newborn.
In the last six months, have you not been shocked, appalled, dismayed by the all too frequently
reported cases of abandoned babies, some of whom were found dead?
The frequency is so alarming that you know something is so wrong in our society.
You know what you can put your finger on, but you can knock yourself out trying to fix the
problem which, by the way, is shocking everywhere else, too.
It is a good sign that people in Malaysia have not been numbed by the frequency of the
occurrences. It shows that it is not being dismissed as "one of those things".
So, before it does become a senseless crime that has found a way of being part of Malaysian
life, something must be done, surely.
Consider the fact that as of April, there have been 24 cases of babies abandoned in, among
39 others, a rubbish dump.
There was a case of a baby found dead in a river; another found buried. These are tragic and
the circumstances leading up to them must have been equally tragic.
The number of these cases is way too high for any decent society. Unless we consider
ourselves otherwise, we cannot be unperturbed.
Sometime this year, when reports of abandoned babies seemed to come in succession,
someone suggested that their fathers be castrated.
Whether or not it is a good idea is quite immaterial. It showed desperation in trying to deal with
what seemed to be an insurmountable problem.
It gets trickier because it touches on moral and religious issues. Also by the fact that these
babies were born out of wedlock.
It is about shame and the treatment of shame by a society that is having to deal with fast-paced
socio-economic change and transformation.
It was not surprising that when OrphanCARE, a non-profit non-governmental organisation,
decided to set up a baby hatch at its premises in Petaling Jaya - the first in the country reactions were mixed.
OrphanCARE's objective is straight and simple - to save unwanted babies. Now, isn't that good?
To the naysayers and critics, it is a bad idea because it will encourage premarital sex, out-ofwedlock babies, and of course the dumping of these babies at the hatch.
Premarital sex, I hate to tell you, is here to stay until and unless we drastically change the way
we live our lives in this modern world.
Imagine, even among married couples and the most educated in the world, accidents do
happen. But married couples have options - to keep or terminate an unwanted pregnancy.
Unwed girls in our society don't because society crucifies them for their carelessness,
recklessness, and complete disregard of moral and religious values.
I'm convinced that the girls who abandoned their babies are no criminals but were driven to
criminal acts by the situation they were in. By their sense of helplessness and desperation.
That said, their act of abandoning babies cannot be condoned. Still, I can never look at them as
criminals.
So what do we do? Keep on getting worked up every time a case of baby-dumping is reported?
At this stage, we can blame everyone and everything, but that's not going to save the babies
because the world will still go round and crimes get committed.
40 The fact is, that latest statistic on baby dumping will not be the last.
So, ours should not be to moralise. Ours is to help better society in the best way we know how.
And society must want to be helped.
Sure, we should be educating our kids on sex and related subjects. Even this is being debated
and no decision is likely to be made soon.
Everyone's doing their bit to educate society on compassion and humanity.
Any positive and constructive outcome will not be immediate because we are made up of
diverse people of diverse beliefs and convictions - not all of them good.
Meanwhile, we have unwed girls getting pregnant and dumping their babies, a serious problem
with no solution in sight, except the fast and furious from moralists and the religious right. Which
is a solu-tion either impractical or unacceptable.
We can debate what is wrong with our rapidly changing society in a rapidly moving economy
until, as they say "the cows come home", and we'd still be arguing the petty points, going
nowhere, achieving nothing.
Baby hatches are not new. They have been in existence through the centuries, from medieval
times. The reason for their existence was and still is, to rescue and save unwanted babies.
The baby hatch in Petaling Jaya, opened on May 30, is modelled on similar services in
Germany, Pakistan and Japan.
The hatch has a small door which opens to an incubator bed on which a mother can place her
baby.
Once the door is closed an alarm bell will alert the NGO's staff to the baby's presence, after the
mother has left.
Now that it is in operation, OrphanCARE and the Women, Family and Community Development
Ministry, which is supporting this initiative, should work on details and procedures affecting
follow-up action on the adoption of these babies.
The baby hatch is not a permanent solution. It was never meant to be. But it is clearly the most
practical solution under the circumstances as it offers safety and security for these babies, and
the women who feel that they have no other option.
Until and unless we can make right the wrong in our society, a hatch that rescues and saves
babies will have to do.
41 Headline: Don't close the door on them
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Jun 13, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 024
Byline / Author: By Samuel Yesuiah
THE only way to save unwanted babies from ending up dead is the OrphanCARE's baby hatch
that was launched with the support of the Women, Family and Community Development
Ministry. Though such a move will open the floodgates to premarital sex and an increase in
unwed mothers abandoning their unwanted babies, it is something that has to be implemented
to save innocent lives.
Unwed mothers have dumped their babies and foetuses in appalling places such as down toilet
bowls, drains, rubbish dumps, rivers, rubbish bins and abandoned buildings. Some of these
babies have been found with ants all over them and some have been savaged by dogs and rats.
Hundreds of babies are reported abandoned every year. What about the number of babies that
have been disposed of without a trace? It also does not take into account the number of
unmarried and underage girls who have the foetus illegally aborted in private clinics.
When unwed girls find themselves pregnant, there is virtually no help from the family. Most of
these girls dump the babies for fear of being disowned by their families. And if society, too,
closes the door on them, they would then resort to unethical means to dispose their babies.
Do we need to stomach appalling pictures of dumped babies splashed all over the newspapers?
Baby hatches nationwide will enable these unwanted babies to be placed in better conditions.
We are giving them an opportunity to live.
SAMUEL YESUIAH
Seremban
42 Headline: Job close to her heart
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Jun 8, 2010
Section heading: Life & Times
Page number: 018
Byline / Author: By P. Selvarani
SHE has held various jobs but Radziah Mohd Arof tells P. SELVARANI that nothing compares
with her present position as temporary mum to abandoned babies.
DURING both her pregnancies some 30 years ago, Radziah Mohd Arof fervently prayed that
her
babies would not be girls.
She was fortunate to be blessed with sons on both occasions. It's not that she disliked
daughters. Her maternal instincts told her that the world was no longer a safe place for young
girls. And this was long before cases of children being abducted, raped and murdered were
even heard of.
"I love children but I was afraid of having a daughter as I was afraid of what could happen to
her. You can guide and monitor your children but you cannot always be with them.
"It's not a safe world anymore, especially for girls. Anything can happen, especially when they
are influenced by friends. Sometimes the girls are innocent. When they discover they are
pregnant, they find that they have to bear the burden by themselves," she says.
Ironically, Radziah or Odie as she is popularly known, is now dealing with her biggest fear handling babies born out of wedlock, unwanted pregnancies and abandoned babies.
Odie is a caretaker at the OrphanCARE Centre in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, launched by
the Sultanah of Pahang last week.
Her job is to feed and care for a baby left in the hatch until it is placed with foster parents under
OrphanCARE's child adoption programme.
"I am happy with this job because I love children. It breaks my heart to read about babies who
are abandoned or dumped in dustbins. Why must these innocent children pay the price for
something not of their doing?" asks the 61-year-old grandmother of two, as tears well up in her
eyes.
Odie, who has held various jobs, including kindergarten teacher and administrative officer,
heard about the job earlier this year when a member of OrphanCARE, whom she met while
working with the Lembaga Kebajikan Perempuan Islam Malaysia, enquired if she would be
interested to take care of the Baby Hatch.
"I agreed as I am interested in welfare work. I also used to babysit while I was living in
Kuantan," she says.
Odie, who lives at the centre with her husband, freelance TV director Yusof Mohamed, says
43 when a baby is placed in the hatch, a sensor will go off, alerting her to its presence. Through a
CCTV, she will be able to see the baby.
To date, no one has left a baby in the hatch.
However, Odie is worried that some people may abuse the facility.
"I fear that someone may leave a dead or injured baby. I don't want to be accused of harming
the child. It's scary, especially when you hear stories of dead babies left in drains and dustbins."
OrphanCARE's baby hatch will provide an avenue for unwed mothers to hand over their
unwanted babies for adoption instead of abandoning them or leaving them to die.
The facility is located at 6 Lorong SS1/24, Kampung Tunku.
Headline: No questions asked
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Jun 6, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 008
Byline / Author: By Shanti Gunaratnam
ORPHANCARE guarantees those who want to leave their newborn at the baby hatch absolute
confidentiality.
"Leave your unwanted babies with us and no questions will be asked," said its president, Datuk
Adnan Mohd Tahir. He said so far no babies had been dropped off at the hatch since it was set
up last week.
The non-governmental organisation launched the country's first baby hatch last Saturday with
the support of the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry. The hatch is placed at
OrphanCARE's premises in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya.
"Mothers or fathers who drop off their babies at the hatch can walk away without having to
answer any questions," Adnan said.
"However, they can ask about their babies later if they want to, even years after they have
dropped them off. They can do so even if their child has been given up for adoption. We will not
be the ones asking the questions."
Adnan said those who dropped their babies off at the hatch would not be caught on closedcircuit television.
"The CCTV is placed inside the hatch. So, we are not able to see the faces of those who place
the babies there. Only the baby and the person's hands when he or she places the baby inside
the hatch can be seen."
44 A caretaker would be at the premises but not positioned anywhere near the hatch, he added.
OrphanCARE, he stressed, practised a "don't ask, don't tell policy".
"If the biological parents want to see their babies later on, that can be arranged."
The air-conditioned RM15,000 baby hatch is fitted with a CCTV and sensors that will trigger an
alarm in the caretaker's room when a baby is being dropped off.
Those dropping off their babies will have to enter a gate, which is unlocked, to place their babies
in the hatch. They need to sign consent forms made available near the hatch and provide the
medical chit that was issued when the baby was born.
Adnan said once a baby was dropped off at the hatch, OrphanCARE would ensure that the child
was given away to adoptive parents "in a matter of days" to enable the baby to bond with the
new parents.
OrphanCARE works with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to help
match and place abandoned babies with suitable parents.
"We will take care of the paperwork to have the adoption legalised," said Adnan.
Malaysia is the first Asean country to set up a baby hatch. Countries like Germany, Japan, the
United States, Pakistan and Japan have adopted the baby hatch system as a way to support
mothers who are unable to care for their children.
"We have a database of more than 200 adoptive parents. To date, we have given up six babies
for adoption. These babies were born to students of public universities and foreign workers,"
said Adnan.
"The students came to us for help when they found out that they were pregnant. We made
arrangements to ensure that no one at their university knew of their pregnancies."
The students returned to their studies after giving birth. No one, even their family members,
friends or roommates, knew of their pregnancies, added Adnan.
"With the baby hatch plan, we hope to save more lives. We want unwed mothers to come to us
instead of abandoning their babies or killing them. Every life that is saved is important for us."
Adnan said some unwed mothers abandoned their babies due to social stigma and legal
implications, which were compounded by a sense of hopelessness of not knowing who to turn to
for help.
45 Headline: Creating a hatch without a catch
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Jun 6, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 009
Byline / Author: By Aniza Damis
SETTING up a baby hatch is just the first step in dealing with the problem of ensuring that
unwanted babies survive being abandoned.
OrphanCARE's baby hatch may provide desperate mothers with an avenue to leave their baby
in
a safe environment, but what ensures that the very act of dropping the baby into the hatch is
legally safe for that mother?
Under Section 317 of the Penal Code, if a parent or person who is responsible for the care of a
child under 12 years leaves the child in any place with the intention of wholly abandoning that
child, the person can be charged with abandonment and, if found guilty, will be punished with
imprisonment up to seven years, or with a fine, or both.
Therefore, legally speaking, dropping a baby into a baby hatch can be construed as
abandonment.
This is the reason why parents dropping off a baby into the hatch are strongly encouraged to
sign a consent form and leave either a birth certificate or a medical chit of proof of the child's
birth.
"If you sign the consent form, then it's not considered abandonment. It's counted as giving your
child up for adoption. We don't even have to file a police report," said OrphanCARE president
Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir.
The identity and all details of the parent would be kept confidential, Adnan said, and parents did
not have to worry about being persecuted or prosecuted.
"But even if you don't want to sign the form or leave a document, that's all right. Whatever it is,
just drop the baby into the hatch. At least make sure your baby survives," Adnan said, adding
that the law should be revised to decriminalise abandonment in the context of baby hatches.
Women's Aid Organisation (WAO) executive director Ivy Josiah said it was crucial that there
was a public assurance that there would be no legal repercussions on the mother of the baby.
"People must be assured of no judgment, no punishment. They don't want to be caught and
don't want to be punished. If this hatch is to be a success in saving babies' lives, that assurance
has to be there."
With that in mind, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, through the
Welfare Department, is in discussion with the relevant agencies, like the police, National
Registration Department (NRD) and Health Ministry, to come up with standard operating
procedures (SOPs) for the operation of baby hatches, and make sure that "everybody
46 understands and wants the same thing", said Welfare Department director-general Datuk Meme
Zainal Rashid.
"Our concern is the baby's life. If the baby has been placed in the baby hatch, then we don't
consider that as abandonment. We will work with the police to make sure that prosecution is not
an issue," she said.
The whole purpose of the baby hatch was to avoid babies being dumped, said Meme. And one
of the factors of baby dumping was the fear of prosecution. So, it was imperative to ensure
anonymity for anyone dropping off a baby at the hatch.
She said there should also be a cooling-off period in the SOPs so that a mother could come
back to the facility and get back her child if she had a change of heart. However, the length of
time had yet to be decided.
However, a baby without any documents does present some complications for the future.
If the baby did not have any papers or if the citizenship of the parents was not known, then the
child was considered stateless, said family law lawyer Kiran Dhaliwal.
"This makes adoption of the child an issue, because the adoption of the child can then only be
done under the Registration of Adoption Act 1952, which does not extinguish the rights of the
natural parent and only confers a de facto status upon the adoptive parents.
"Under this process of adoption, the child has no right of inheritance, and the adoption will not
confer any citizenship or permanent residence status for the child," added Kiran.
Meme said if the child had no papers, the department would help register the birth of the child to
ensure that the baby had a document, but the decision on citizenship rested with the NRD.
She added that the baby hatch was just one aspect of the fight against baby-dumping. Religious
education and sexual and reproductive health awareness was crucial, in addition to ensuring
that parents are responsible for their children's health.
Ivy concurred, saying that more should be done to give financial help to mothers who cannot
afford to care for their children.
Protection and advice also needed to be given to women so that they had a safe and discreet
place to give birth, and had a chance to think of what they wanted to do.
"Sixty per cent of the women who come to WAO's shelter keep the baby," Josiah said.
47 Headline: Keep baby in focus
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Jun 6, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
AT the launch of the nation's first baby hatch last weekend, Women, Family and Community
Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Jalil cried at the sight of the baby hatch. It broke her
heart.
"I never thought it would come to this. We are supposed to be good caring people. But it had to
be done."
The minister's sadness is understandable. For, while the setting up of a baby hatch can be
lauded
as a psychological breakthrough for a conservative society, it is also an acknowledgement of a
society that compels unwed mothers to feel that they have to hide the very existence of an
illegitimate child -- often resulting in baby-dumping and, subsequently, the death of the baby
from exposure.
The plan to set up the baby hatch had been discussed for a year between OrphanCARE and
the authorities. Up to only four months ago, the government had not been supportive of it.
Society was, and remains, divided on the issue. An oft quoted argument is that the baby hatch
will encourage pre-marital sex.
If people know that they can abandon their babies at the baby hatch, then they will happily have
illicit sex more often, goes the argument.
Such reasoning is naive -- of sex drives and the birthing process. It suggests that being
pregnant for nine months and then giving birth to a small human being, hiding that birth and
then dumping the baby is easy.
Babies who are dumped in toilets, dustbins, parking lots and houses of worship die. They die
because these are not the best places in which newborns should be left. There are no trained
carers of babies in these places. All that these places guarantee is anonymity for the parent; but
not safety for the child. A baby hatch offers both: safety for the parent and safety for the child.
And this is what a baby hatch is about. It is not there to encourage pre- or extra-marital sex. It is
about saving an innocent child's life. And being an illegitimate child is not an offence, and
certainly not punishable by death.
For this baby hatch to fulfil its intended purpose, the will of all the relevant parties -- especially
the authorities -- needs to be in concert. Everyone must want it to work. Everyone must do his
or her best to not make it difficult to work. Everyone must put the baby first. For, to view an
abandoned baby as only the sign of an illegitimate sexual act is to do the most inhumane thing
of all -- to not see the child as a human in its own right; as a life worth saving.
48 Headline: Adopt an orphan, save a child
Publication: NST
Date of publication: Apr 21, 2009
Section heading: Life & Times
Page number: 002
"EVERY child needs a family."
This is the message some concerned individuals are spreading to help find loving homes for the
thousands of children in orphanages throughout the country.
OrphanCare, set up a year ago by a group of friends, aims to give every orphan and abandoned
baby in the country the love, care and security of a family by matching them with suitable
adoptive parents.
"We strongly believe that orphans should never be left permanently in orphanages because
every child needs a family in which he or she can grow up in a loving, caring and secure
environment. Orphanages should only be a transit point," said OprhanCare president Adnan
Mohd Tahir.
Orphanages, he added, are not the most conducive place for a child to grow up in as they often
result in him or her suffering from low self-esteem, behavioural problems, delinquency and poor
academic performance.
And because most of them have to leave the orphanage upon turning 18, they often end up
socially dysfunctional, unable to make it in life for want of a support system to fall back on.
OrphanCare also hopes to eventually set up a "baby hatch" in hospitals to prevent the dumping
of babies by unwed mothers.
Adnan said through OrphanCare, prospective adoptive parents can be matched with children
and abandoned babies from orphanages.
"We are working with the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development, other
agencies and NGOs on compiling a list."
Once it has created a database, OrphanCare will match the orphans with suitable families and
help expedite the adoption process, which is currently long and tedious.
OrphanCare will also provide pre- and post-adoption counselling for the child and adoptive
family.
To get things going, however, OrphanCare urgently needs funds for a premise to house the
administrative office and a centre for the babies before orphans are handed over to families.
OrphanCare will officially be launched at a fund-raising dinner, which will be graced by its patron
Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom of Pahang at the KL Convention Centre on Saturday.
Companies or individuals can contribute by buying dinner tables or placing advertisements in
the souvenir programme for the event.
49 For details, call 03-6201-7015 or email [email protected].
(END)
Headline: `Baby hatch necessary as alternative for unwed mums'
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: May 30, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 002
Byline / Author: By Ili Liyana Mokhtar
PETALING JAYA: The nation's first baby hatch was launched here yesterday with the support of
the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
Couples who cannot take care of their babies can drop them off at the hatch anonymously. The
babies will be put up for adoption.
The New Sunday Times had in February reported about the proposed launch of the baby hatch.
The proposal provoked a debate, with some saying that it encouraged premarital sex and
reckless behaviour. Many also lauded the move which they said would prevent the abandoning
of unwanted babies in dumpsites and garbage bins.
Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, in a tearful and emotional opening speech, said such
initiatives were part of the solution to provide desperate mothers a place to go to instead of
taking the life of their child.
"I must say that it broke my heart to see the baby hatch. I never thought I'd see this happening.
"We must not allow ourselves to be held prisoner to the belief that baby hatches encourage
premarital sex, neither must we allow ourselves to think that the hatch is the solution to cases of
abandoning babies," she said after presenting OrphanCARE, the non-governmental
organisation which set up the hatch, with a RM100,000 grant.
Shahrizat said the ministry was supportive of NGOs that wanted to set up safe havens for
unwanted babies.
"We are, of course, strong advocates of educating youths on their sexuality and the risks in premarital sex, but the baby hatch is a necessary measure so that young unwed mothers know that
they have an alternative," she said.
The baby hatch is managed by OrphanCARE, which also works with the ministry to expedite the
adoption process.
It helps to match and place abandoned and orphaned babies with suitable parents.
Its president, Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir, stressed that the baby hatch would save lives and
50 prevent babies from being abandoned at dumpsites or drains.
"Mothers who have babies out of wedlock are often in a fragile state. They don't know where to
turn to or what to do with their babies. Now, they can drop off their babies at our centre
anonymously.
"There is also a consent form provided which they can choose to sign.
"There will be no legal repercussions if they sign the form. The babies can then be put up for
adoption.
"No baby should be left to die because their mothers do not know where to turn to," he said.
Adnan said the organisation was planning to set up more baby hatches and was also willing to
help other NGOs, hospitals and clinics set up their own baby hatches.
"We hope mothers who do not want their babies for whatever reason would only make use of
this facility as a last resort."
OrphanCARE currently has 200 parents waiting to adopt babies on its waiting list.
Countries such as Germany, Japan, the United States, India and Pakistan have adopted the
baby hatch system as a way to support mothers who are unable to care for their babies.
Earlier, the baby hatch was launched by its patron, Sultanah of Pahang Sultanah Kalsom, who
also donated RM10,000 to the organisation.
For more information on the baby hatch, the public can log on to the organisation's website
www.orphancare.com.
In February, former deputy Women, Family and Community Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei
Fun had said that the ministry did not endorse the idea of a baby hatch as it could encourage
people to abandon unwanted babies.
She was quoted as saying that baby hatches sent the wrong message and instead the
organisation should provide counselling and sex education.
51 Headline: Unwanted babies to be placed in hatch
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 28, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 008
KUALA LUMPUR: The first baby hatch in the country will be set up by May, giving those who
can't take care of their infants a safe place to drop them off.
OrphanCARE president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said everyone, including Women, Family and
Community Development Ministry officials, were very concerned over the increasing number of
abandoned babies in the country.
"The ministry and the Welfare Department want to put an end to baby dumping and they have
agreed to us setting up the hatch.
"We met their officials on Monday and discussed many issues, including adoption and the baby
hatch. Everyone agreed that cases of abandoned babies should not be allowed to spiral out of
control."
The baby hatch will be set up at the non-governmental organisation's premises in Petaling Jaya.
More will be established nationwide later.
Germany and Japan have adopted the system to support single mothers who cannot raise
children on their own.
OrphanCARE, set up two years ago, works with the government to expedite the adoption
process. It helps match and place abandoned and orphaned babies with suitable parents.
Adnan said mothers intending to drop their babies at the hatch should provide the child's birth
certificate and consent for the baby to be given up for adoption.
The birth certificate is necessary to ensure the child will not be stateless.
"At our most recent meeting, Welfare Department officials said they would give us their full
cooperation in getting the necessary documentation for babies left without their birth certificates
at our premises," said Adnan.
"Let us not sit on the moral high ground and pass judgment on these mothers.
"We should be there to help them deal with the difficult situation and find the best solution for
both mother and child."
He also said the recent cases where babies were found dead shows the seriousness of the
baby dumping issue.
"We don't want more babies dying. The government should realise that sex education is
important and it must be taught in secondary school."
52 He said the government should not sweep the problem under the carpet in the hope it would go
away on its own.
"To think that Malaysian youngsters are not sexually active is being ignorant."
Headline: Don't waste time, save the babies
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 21, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 023
Byline / Author: By Azman Ujang
IN a situation where hardly a day passes without a newborn baby being found abandoned many of them already dead - let's not waste time discussing whether or not to support the plan
by OrphanCARE to set up a baby hatch.
The question is, do we want to continue to see babies being left for dead or do we want to save
lives?
Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
was reported as saying that her ministry had not endorsed the plan as it did not want to
encourage unwed mothers to abandon their babies at the hatch.
Nobody is encouraging anybody to abandon their babies. Chew's reasoning does not make
sense, it's like saying condoms should not be sold to the public as it would encourage premarital
sex.
It can be assumed that these babies were abandoned by unwed mothers who wished to remain
anonymous.
For the sake of saving lives, the plan by OrphanCARE should get support before more dead
babies are found at dumpsites or drains.
AZMAN UJANG
Kuala Lumpur
53 Headline: Support good NGO ideas
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 21, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 023
Byline / Author: By Mohd Silahuddin
I WRITE to give my two cents worth on the baby hatch plan by OrphanCARE and the comments
from Deputy Women, Family and Community Development minister.
I am appalled at her response. People in high positions in government should consider all
options. OrphanCARE, while only partly solving the problem (premarital sex, unwanted
pregnancies, etc.) has at least come up with a positive option.
I applaud Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir's organisation for trying to bring this programme to
Malaysia. I would rather read about a baby who has been deposited at a hatch than one who
has been burned in a dumpster.
The president of the All Women's Action Society of Malaysia is on the right track. We need to
educate our youngsters about sex.
Instead of turning down good ideas from non-governmental organisations, the ministry should
quickly come up with a comprehensive programme to combat this horrible situation and rope in
all organisations.
MOHD SILAHUDDIN
Kuala Lumpur
Headline: Nobody's child gets to live
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 21, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 020
THE image of a baby dumped in a rubbish bin and burnt to death is one that would make even
the most hard-hearted cringe. It is an occurrence that defies every instinct of survival of the
species. Yet, this happened in Kuala Krai, Kelantan, a week ago. It shouldn't have happened,
yet it did, and sadly not as infrequently as it should. And though not necessarily in the same
way, but in equally bad permutations. Now, OrphanCARE, an organisation that works with the
government to expedite adoption processes, has said it will put baby hatches in its premises in
Petaling Jaya. Baby hatches - the modern version of foundling wheels - are a special hatch in
the wall of an organisation or hospital in which to place an unwanted baby.
Strangely, this idea has not been welcomed by the government because it is felt baby hatches
will encourage people to abandon unwanted babies. The objectors miss the point totally.
Unwanted babies are being abandoned already; more often than not, to their deaths. Baby
hatches are supposed to encourage people to abandon unwanted babies in a way that will not
54 result in the child dying. That is the objective of the baby hatch - to make sure the baby
survives.
But OrphanCARE's plans to have a closed-circuit camera over the hatch, as well as the
condition that the baby be accompanied by a birth certificate and a letter of consent for the child
to be given away for adoption, also miss the point. Abandoned newborns often belong to unwed
mothers, who do not want to be identified let alone have to register an illegitimate birth.
Abandoning a child under the age of 12 is an offence punishable by up to seven years' jail, or a
fine, or both. Such bureaucracy only serves the law, not the child.
Baby hatches are only a stop-gap measure. The real solution lies in people being taught to take
responsibility for their lives, and this includes taking responsibility for their mistakes. Sexual
education must be given from an early age, to teach people what sex is, the difference between
sex and love, the responsibility of choosing to have sex, how to have safe sex, and the various
consequences of unsafe sex. This should be complemented with moral or religious education.
And society has to learn to be less judgmental and more compassionate. But all this takes time.
Newborn babies do not have time.
Headline: Organisation to go ahead with baby hatch plan
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 21, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 009
Byline / Author: By Shanti Gunaratnam
KUALA LUMPUR: Whether or not it gets the green light from the Women, Family and
Community Development Ministry, an organisation is going ahead with its plans to set up baby
hatches for people to drop off unwanted babies.
OrphanCARE plans to set up the first baby hatch at its premises in Petaling Jaya soon before
expanding it nationwide, said president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir.
The hatches will provide a safe place for people to drop off babies they could not take care of
themselves.
He said this was better than having the babies dumped in drains, garbage bins or dumpsites.
"Mothers who have babies out of wedlock are often in a fragile state. They don't know where to
turn to or what to do with the babies. While waiting for the baby hatch to be set up, they can
drop off their babies at our centre because we have a caretaker here.
"The babies can then be put up for adoption. No baby should be left to die because their
mothers
do not know where to turn to."
Adnan said the mothers should be treated with compassion and not as criminals.
55 Germany and Japan have adopted the system as a way to support single mothers who cannot
raise children on their own.
OrphanCARE, set-up two years ago, works with the government to expedite adoption
processes. It helps to match and place abandoned and orphaned babies with suitable parents.
"Next week, we will be meeting National Welfare Department officials to discuss several issues,
including domestic and foreign adoptions and also the hatch. The department is aware that we
are going ahead with plans to have the baby hatch at our centre."
He said mothers intending to drop their babies at the hatch should provide the child's birth
certificate and consent for the baby to be given up for adoption.
The birth certificate is necessary to ensure the child will not be stateless.
Asked whether the baby hatch would encourage pre-marital sex, Adnan said there was an
increasing number of babies born out of wedlock, many of whom are left in dumpsites, bushes,
drains and public toilets.
"Look at the recent cases where the babies were found dead. We don't want more babies dying.
"The government should realise that more and more youngsters are sexually active. Sex
education must be taught in secondary schools."
He said the government should not sweep the problem under the carpet with the hope that it
would go away on its own.
Tenaganita Sdn Bhd anti-trafficking-in-persons coordinator Aegile Fernandez said the hatch
was a good idea.
"It is a success in so many other countries. Malaysia should follow suit.
"In the 1960s and 1970s, the Catholic nuns used to have something similar in front of the
convents where unwed mothers could leave their babies who were either given up for adoption
or brought up by the nuns."
Fernandez said many of the unwed mothers were young and forced to abandon their babies
because of the social stigma.
"Society does not take to unwed mothers kindly. Everyone tends to judge them harshly instead
of providing them a good support system."
56 Headline: Drop birth cert rule
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 14, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 023
Byline / Author: By Angeline
FIRST of all, kudos to OrphanCARE for setting up the baby hatch service, which is long overdue
in Malaysia.
Their philosophy of "don't ask, don't tell" will save unwanted babies from gruesome deaths. It
also helps fulfil the desperate dreams of childless couples.
However, asking for the birth certificate to be "dropped off" together with the baby is ridiculous
and totally contrary to the "don't ask, don't tell" philosophy.
First of all, the mothers don't even want their identities known, and would likely drop the babies
off within hours or days of their babies' birth.
Ivy Josiah is right, remove that requirement. How can it be enforced anyway? After all what is
OrphanCARE going to do if no birth certificates are included. Throw the baby out? Prevent its
adoption? What if the baby is a foreigner? Isn't the primary objective of the baby hatch service
to save babies from gruesome deaths?
OrphanCARE should forget all the imagined bureaucratic nonsense. Keep bureaucracy where it
belongs - in the adoption process. Please remind ourselves once again of the primary objective
- save the life first.
ANGELINE
Damansara
57 Headline: Baby hatch to be set up
Publication: NSUNT
Date of publication: Feb 7, 2010
Section heading: Main Section
Page number: 003
Byline / Author: By Shanti Gunaratnam; Sean Augustin
KUALA LUMPUR: A baby hatch will be set up soon for people to drop off their unwanted babies.
An organisation called OrphanCARE will place the baby hatch on its premises in Petaling Jaya.
If successful, the non-profit organisation hopes to place them at government hospitals and
health centres around the country.
Germany and Japan have adopted the system as a way to support single mothers who cannot
raise children on their own.
OrphanCARE, set up two years ago, works with the government to expedite adoption
processes.
It helps to match and place abandoned and orphaned babies with suitable parents.
OrphanCARE president Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said people must be allowed to leave their
babies without fear of prosecution so that these babies could be cared for.
He said the organisation had the support of the Women, Family and Community Development
Ministry.
Asked whether the setting up of a baby hatch would encourage pre-marital sex, Adnan said:
"There is an increasing number of babies born out of wedlock, many of whom are left in waste
dumps, bushes, drains and public toilets.
"Many unwed mothers are young and abandon their babies because of the social stigma and
legal implications, compounded by a sense of hopelessness of not knowing who to turn to."
OrphanCARE intends to practise a "don't ask, don't tell" policy for those who leave their babies
at the hatch.
Mothers intending to do so should, however, provide the child's birth certificate and consent for
the baby to be given up for adoption.
The birth certificate is necessary to ensure that the child will not be stateless.
"Even foreigners who drop off their babies at the hatch should provide the birth certificate," said
Adnan.
"We will work with the embassies of their countries to get the children proper documents."
58 He also said the baby hatch that was being planned would be monitored via a surveillance
camera.
"We will ensure the safety of infants placed at the hatch."
Women's Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said the idea should be studied
carefully.
While not opposing the idea of setting up a baby hatch, Josiah was concerned about "difficult
bureaucratic hurdles".
"Women who drop off their babies might not include the birth certificate. This is because they
would be afraid of registering the newborn in the first place.
"They would not want to face the authorities," she said.
"What we need is a more holistic approach which starts with better sex education.
"We also need non-judgmental and open policies to support the women.
"Society, too, needs to change its attitude and we need to work against the stigma that comes
with such pregnancies."
Josiah believed the baby hatch idea, first mooted in the 1990s by the ministry, should be the last
option.
SEE ALSO P12 & 13
Sumber : http://www.nstemedia.com.my
Tarikh Akses : 19 September 2011
59 ORPHANCARE PELAWA RUMAH ANAK YATIM LAIN BEKERJASAMA WUJUDKAN
RUMAH ANAK JAGAAN
Date: 21-05-2011
Author: / KNAA NAK HS
ORPHANCARE-RUMAH
KUALA LUMPUR, 21 Mei (Bernama) -- Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan
Anak-Anak Yatim (OrphanCARE) malam ini mempelawa semua rumah anak-anak yatim
bekerjasama untuk mewujudkan rumah yang selesa bagi anak-anak dalam jagaan
mereka.
Presidennya Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir berkata sesebuah institusi tidak
mungkin dapat menggantikan satu persekitaran kediaman yang selesa dan kajian
menunjukkan anak-anak yang dibesarkan di rumah anak-anak yatim sering kekurangan
harga diri dan mempunyai motivasi yang rendah.
"Kebanyakan pasangan yang tidak mempunyai anak mendesak untuk mengambil anak
angkat bayi yang baru lahir dan anak kecil, kebanyakan anak yatim berusia tiga
tahun ke atas akan berakhir di rumah anak-anak yatim.
"Dan yang menyedihkan, apabila mereka berusia 18 tahun, mereka tinggal
bersendirian tanpa sistem sokongan bagi mereka," katanya pada ulang tahun
pertama program 'Baby Hatch' pertubuhan itu, di sini.
Turut hadir Sultanah Pahang, Sultanah Kalsom yang merupakan penaung
OrphanCARE.
Faizah berkata OrphanCARE setakat ini sudah berjaya menempatkan lapan bayi
berusia antara tiga hingga 12 tahun kepada keluarga angkat.
Sementara itu, Sultanah Kalsom berharap lebih ramai orang akan terlibat
dalam apa jua cara, sekurang-kurangnya berbicara tentang OphanCARE kerana jika
lebih ramai orang tahu mengenainya, lebih tinggi peluang anak-anak terbuang ini
merasai pengalaman sebuah kehidupan rumah yang selesa.
Beliau berkata sejak badan bukan bermotifkan keuntungan bagi kebajikan dan
pengurusan anak-anak yatim ditubuhkan sejak setahun lalu, mereka telah
menempatkan 30 bayi kepada keluarga angkat.
-- BERNAMA
KNAA NAK HS
1 30 ORPHANCARE BABIES GIVEN TO FOSTER FAMILIES
Date: 13-05-2011
ORPHANCARE-BABIES
KUALA LUMPUR, May 13 (Bernama) -- OrphanCare, a non-profit organisation for
welfare and orphan management established a year ago, has placed 30 babies with
foster families.
Its president, Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir, said today that only couples who
met the requirements set by OrphanCare were considered as foster parents.
She said the organisation hoped to give each abandoned baby a chance to live
with a family in line with its slogan, Every Child Needs a Family.
"We will check up on the babies two years after they are handed to their
foster families," she said at a news conference on the first anniversary of
OrphanCare's Baby Hatch and its fundraising dinner scheduled for May 21.
"So far, all the babies in foster care are healthy and safe," she said,
adding that OrphanCare would open branches in Johor, Kelantan, Penang and
Sarawak.
Faizah said that 600 couples had registered with OrphanCare to become foster
parents, with 100 listed as successful.
--BERNAMA
PNI PNHMG MOK IZ NZM
2 ORPHANCARE SERAH 30 BAYI KEPADA KELUARGA ANGKAT SEJAK SETAHUN LALU
Date: 13-05-2011
Author: / PNI PNHMG MOK AZH
ORPHANCARE-BAYI
KUALA LUMPUR, 13 Mei (Bernama) -- Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan
Anak-Anak Yatim (OrphanCare) berjaya menempatkan 30 bayi kepada keluarga angkat
yang terpilih, sejak ia ditubuhkan setahun lalu.
Presidennya Tan Sri Faizah Mohd Tahir berkata pihaknya sentiasa berhati-hati
dalam memilih keluarga angkat untuk bayi berkenaan, dengan memastikan bahawa
hanya pasangan yang sesuai terpilih untuk mendapatkan hak penjagaan, berdasarkan
kepada syarat-syarat yang ditetapkannya.
Beliau berkata inisiatif OrphanCare bertujuan memberi peluang kepada setiap
bayi yang ditinggalkan untuk merasai kehidupan sebuah keluarga selaras dengan
cogan kata "setiap kanak-kanak memerlukan keluarga".
"Pemantauan ke atas bayi akan dilakukan dua tahun selepas mereka diserahkan
kepada keluarga angkat," katanya kepada pemberita selepas satu persidangan media
mengenai Majlis Makan Malam Amal OrphanCARE dan Ulang tahun pertama program
'Baby Hatch' pertubuhan itu, di sini hari ini.
"Setakat ini, semua bayi yang diambil keluarga angkat berada dalam keadaan
baik dan selamat," katanya dengan menambah Orphancare akan membuka cawangan di
Johor, Kelantan, Pulau Pinang dan Sarawak tidak lama lagi.
Menurutnya 600 keluarga yang ingin memiliki anak angkat sudah berdaftar
dengan pertubuhan itu.
Sementara itu Faizah berkata OrphanCare akan mengadakan Majlis Makan Malam
Amal pada 21 Mei di Hotel Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur bagi mengutip dana
untuk membantu pertubuhan itu.
-- BERNAMA
PNI PNHMG MOK AZH
3 ORPHANCARE URGES MINISTRY TO SET UP MORE BABY HATCHES
Date: 20-08-2010
Author: / PNW AKT MO
ORPHANCARE-BABY
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- OrphanCARE, the organisation responsible
for the first baby hatch in the country, has urged the government to consider
setting up more of the facility throughout the country.
Its secretary Azra Banu said the proposal had been put forward to the Women,
Family and Community Development Ministry and the Welfare Department last month
and it was now waiting for a reply.
"Right now, we are looking at setting up baby hatches at the hospitals,
maternity clinics and local council buildings which are open 24 hours daily,"
she said when contacted by Bernama today.
Azra said the baby hatch received its seventh baby yesterday since it opened
on May 29 this year, and the previous six babies received had been successfully
adopted by selected couples.
-- MORE
ORPHANCARE-BABY 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR
"A few more children from the orphanages managed by us have also been
adopted by selectd couples."
However, she said, the baby hatch would not be the solution but an
alternative way to curb baby dumping, which had become rampant of late.
"We believe in a holistic approach. The young mothers can be assured that
their infants will be taken care of and then placed in the care of loving
families if they don't want them.
"We also believe that education must come before enforcement, and what
is required is instilling moral and religious values in the young, both
at home and school," she added.
-- BERNAMA
PNW AKT MO
4 ORPHANCARE'S FIRST ADOPTIVE PARENTS FOUND
Date: 06-07-2010
Author: / MCYS TCL MIS
OPRHANCARE-BABY
KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 (Bernama)-- A non-profit organisation for welfare and
orphan management, OrphanCARE, has found the adoptive parents for its first
baby.
OrphanCARE chairman Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said the baby boy was handed to
the couple, whose identity would be kept a secret, last week.
The couple was chosen from the list of applications received by OrphanCARE,
he said when contacted today.
The baby boy, was brought in to OrphanCARE on June 26 by his unwed parents
a day after he was born.
Located in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, OrphanCARE, the country's first
baby hatch and was opened on May 29, operates round the clock.
-- BERNAMA
MCYS TCL MIS
ORPHANCARE SERAHKAN BAYI LELAKI KEPADA KELUARGA ANGKAT
Date: 06-07-2010
Author: / MCYS TCL RS
OPRHANCARE-BAYI
KUALA LUMPUR 6 Julai (Bernama)-- Bayi pertama yang diserahkan kepada
Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim (OrphanCARE) pada 26 Jun lepas,
telah diserahkan kepada keluarga angkatnya minggu lepas.
Bagaimanapun, identiti keluarga itu dirahsiakan, kata pengerusi OrphanCARE,
Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir.
"Pasangan yang sesuai telah dipilih dengan teliti daripada senarai pendek
OrphanCARE," katanya ketika dihubungi hari ini.
"Demi memastikan hak kedua-dua keluarga kandung dan keluarga angkat terjamin
dan terpelihara, tiada lagi maklumat akan diberikan dan bayi tersebut akan
diberi kepada keluarga angkat," tambahnya.
Bayi lelaki itu diserahkan kepada OrphanCare pada 26 Jun oleh satu pasangan
dalam lingkungan umur 20an sehari selepas ia dilahirkan.
Bayi itu dilahirkan di luar nikah tanpa pengetahuan keluarga mereka.
OrphanCARE yang terletak di Kampung Tunku di Petaling Jaya dan beroperasi 24
jam dilancarkan pada 29 Mei tahun ini ekoran banyak kes bayi buang.
Adnan berkata OrphanCare mempunyai senarai 300 keluarga yang ingin memiliki
anak angkat bayi atau kanak-kanak.
-- BERNAMA
MCYS TCL RS
5 ORPHANCARE DAN JABATAN KEBAJIKAN BINCANG NASIB BAYI
Date: 28-06-2010
Author: / MCYS TCL HS
ORPHANCARE-BAYI
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Jun (Bernama) -- Bayi pertama, yang diserahkan kepada
Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Pengurusan Anak Yatim (OrphanCARE) pada Sabtu lepas,
berada dalam keadaan sihat, kata Pengerusi OrphanCARE Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir.
Beliau berkata pihaknya masih berbincang dengan Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat
(JKM) bagi menentukan keluarga angkat sesuai untuk menempatkan bayi lelaki
seberat 2.7kg itu, yang dilahirkan Jumaat lepas.
"Kita masih meneliti setiap permohonan kerana pihak JKM turut terlibat dalam
proses temuduga itu nanti.... 300 keluarga angkat masih menunggu untuk
mendapatkan hak penjagaan bayi berkenaan," katanya ketika dihubungi.
Bayi itu diserahkan oleh pasangan berumur awal 20-an kepada OrphanCARE, yang
dilancarkan pada 29 Mei tahun ini, sebagai pusat perlindungan bayi pertama di
negara ini.
Adnan turut menyelar kritikan yang dilemparkan terhadap OrphanCARE yang
mendakwa pewujudan pusat itu menggalakkan kes kelahiran luar nikah.
"OrphanCARE ditubuhkan untuk menjaga bayi yang dibuang begitu sahaja. Jika
kita tidak menjaganya, siapa lagi yang mahu berbuat demikian.
"Sesetengah pihak tidak wajar melemparkan tuduhan tanpa melihat kerja yang
kita lakukan," katanya.
Beliau turut meminta kerajaan dan NGO turut sama terlibat memastikan gejala
pembuangan bayi di negara ini tidak meningkat.
"Saya menyeru pihak kerajaan dan NGO dapat menjalinkan kerjasama mungkin
dalam bentuk sokongan moral, pendidikan seks dan sebagainya... pelbagai program
secara menyeluruh patut dijalankan bagi memastikan perkara ini tidak meningkat
pada masa depan," katanya.
Pusat berkenaan di Kampung Tunku di Petaling Jaya beroperasi 24 jam.
-- BERNAMA
MCYS TCL HS
6 ORPHANCARE'S FIRST ADOPTIVE PARENTS YET TO BE DECIDED
Date: 28-06-2010
Author: / MCYS TCL MB
ORPHANCARE-BABY
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 (Bernama) -- OrphanCARE, the country's first baby
hatch, is still in discussion with the Welfare Services Department over the
adoptive parents of the first baby it received on Saturday.
OrphanCARE chairman Datuk Adnan Mohd Tahir said over 300 applications were
received from couples who were interested to raise the 2.7kg baby boy born to a
couple in early 20s last Friday.
He said the Welfare Services Department would also be involved in
interviewing interested couples.
Adnan hit out at critics of the OrphanCARE which claimed that it encouraged
illegitimate children born out of wedlock.
Located in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, OrphanCARE operates round the
clock.
-- BERNAMA
MCYS TCL MB
Sumber : http://www.mylib.pnm.my
Tarikh Akses : 20 September 2011
7 J KA
RUJUKAN
Baby Hatch. [Online].
Available : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_Hatch (15 September 2011)
Nazirul Hisham
Baby Hatch usaha KPJ-ISH selamatkan nyawa si kecil. Al Islam : 34-36 ; April
2011.
Noritah Sulaiman
Buang anak punca dan penyelesaiannya. al islam : 5-18 ; Disember 1993.
OrphaCARE Baby Hatch. [Online].
Available : http://www.orphancare.org.my (29 September 2011)
Nst Emedia. [Online].
Available : http://www.nstemedia.com.my (19 September 2011)
Blis.Bernama. [Online].
Available : http://www.blis.bernama.com.my (20 September 2011)