KUCHING: The Baby Hatch initiative is not to encourage the abandonment of babies by parents unable to care for them, but to ensure the safety of the babies.

Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said that the baby hatch will save the lives of innocent babies and give the mothers of the babies a chance to start a new life.

"The baby hatch is not actually to encourage out-of-wedlock pregnancy, but rather to create a safe place so that babies are not abandoned in dangerous locations, such as in rubbish bins or in toilets, as has happened in several cases.

"What we want to save is lives, firstly, the lives of innocent babies and secondly, the lives of mothers so they can have a fresh start.

“The role of the ministry is not to punish, but to offer help.

"This is the purpose of the baby hatch, not to encourage cases of baby dumping but to save lives," she said in a press conference session of the Sarawak Women's Day 2025 Celebration Meeting at Wisma Wanita, Petra Jaya on Tuesday.

Dato Sri Fatimah also called on the mothers of babies left at the baby hatch of the Borneo Medical Centre (BMC) on June 15 to come forward to determine the baby's citizenship without having to go through the citizenship application under Article 15A.

She noted that a period of one month was given to the baby's parents to provide information to facilitate the processing of the baby's information on whether to adopt them to a new family.

"Confidentiality is guaranteed and this matter is also included in the advertisement because it is intended to enable this baby to obtain citizenship without having to go through the process under Article 15A, as well as obtain a birth document with 'K' status, which is citizenship under Sarawak," she explained.

She added that if the one-month period has expired, the Kuching Division Social Welfare Department will apply for the citizenship process together with the National Registration Department.

According to Dato Sri Fatimah, the adopted baby will be registered following the nationality of the adoptive parents.

Also present were Deputy Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development (KPWK), Datuk Rosey Yunus, KPWK Permanent Secretary, Datu Felicia Tan Ya Hua, and heads of departments. -UKASnews