KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development will continue collaborating with private hospitals and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to encourage the establishment of more baby hatches across Sarawak.
Its minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the collaborations aim to inspire more corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects focused on baby hatches.
“Baby hatch facilities are a last-ditch intervention used by many countries and hospitals to reduce baby abandonment by providing a safe option for mothers to leave their newborns.
“This initiative is not meant to encourage out-of-wedlock pregnancies but to offer babies protection and care, reducing the chances of abandonment in unsafe places.
“With the support of facilities like shelters and baby hatches, I hope we can effectively address baby dumping cases in Sarawak,” she said.
Fatimah pointed out that her ministry would continue implementing comprehensive social interventions and programmes to raise awareness among children, teenagers, parents, communities, and vulnerable groups.
These efforts aim to highlight the collective responsibility in addressing sexual crimes, including preventive measures such as identifying risky behaviours and providing awareness on available support, assistance, and protection for teenage mothers.
She said her ministry, through the Sarawak Social Development Council, will continue running programmes like Sexual Education Advocacy Awareness Programme (KAPS) and Randau Social Development Programme (RPS).
“KAPS targets school-going teenagers aged 13-16 and is implemented in secondary schools across Sarawak on a rotational basis.
“The programme includes a teenage pregnancy prevention component, ‘Abstinence to Sex’ by National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), along with education on self-safety and the prevention of grooming through ‘Safe Touch and Healthy Relationship’ component by Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS), and online safety awareness through the ‘Cyber Safety and Social Media’ component by the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
“Since its launch in 2016, KAPS has reduced the number of pregnant teenage students by 55.6 per cent, from 142 cases in 2016 to 63 cases in 2023,” she said.
Meanwhile, the RPS addresses teenage pregnancy, underage marriage, child sexual crimes, and child safety, targeting rural communities across the state.
Fatimah added that her ministry has also established support facilities through the Social Welfare Department such as Taman Seri Puteri in Kuching, a shelter for pregnant teenagers that provides support before, during, and after childbirth.
Taman Seri Puteri also offers academic and vocational training programmes like SPM and PT3 tuition, sewing, and culinary skills, along with individual and group counselling, sports, and recreation, as well as moral and religious teachings.
