Ministry denies baby snatching incident at Lahad Datu Hospital

PUTRAJAYA: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry denied the allegations made by a news portal on Sept 15 that a Sea Bajau baby had been taken away from a stateless mother in a hospital in Sabah. According to the ministry, the claims were found to be related to an old case that was handled by a guardian from the Lahad Datu district social welfare office in 2021.

The baby was placed in the custody of a ‘Suitable and Qualified Person’ through a temporary order under Paragraph 19(2)(b) of the Child Act 2001, while the process of identifying the parents or legal guardians was being carried out. The guardian then offered the birth parents custody of the child after obtaining confirmation from the Sea Bajau village elder in Lahad Datu. However, due to financial constraints and inability to cover the child’s medical expenses, the parents decided to hand over the child through a statutory declaration. As a result, the premature baby was abandoned at the Lahad Datu Hospital.

The ministry strongly refuted the claims mentioned in the report, stating that they were false. It also emphasized that the single case in question was handled in accordance with established procedures. In light of the report, a case review session on the management of custody cases was conducted by the ministry, and a police report was filed at the Lahad Datu district police headquarters to counter the false allegations.

“The ministry is fully prepared to cooperate with the authorities during the investigation,” the statement said, adding that appropriate action will be taken against any official found guilty of involvement if the allegations turn out to be true – Bernama.