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Fatimah: JKM gives mothers one month before acting on baby hatch cases
The Baby Hatch at BMC. – Photo By Chimon Upon
KUCHING (July 2): The Social Welfare Department (JKM) must provide a one-month window for mothers of babies left at baby hatches to come forward before any further steps are taken, said Sarawak Minister for Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.
'This is an existing JKM regulation. It is mandatory to allow a one-month period for the baby's mother to come forward, in case she changes her mind and wants to take back and care for the child herself,' she said when contacted by Utusan Borneo .
She was responding to public concerns over efforts by the Kuching Division Social Welfare Office (PKMB) to trace the mother of a baby boy placed at the Baby Hatch at Borneo Medical Centre (BMC) on June 15, 2025.
In a statement on Tuesday, PKMB Kuching said they were seeking the mother of the 14-day-old infant to obtain essential information for placement and birth certificate registration purposes.
The move drew mixed reactions online, with some questioning whether it was appropriate to seek out the mother, given the confidential nature of baby hatches.
Clarifying the matter, Fatimah reiterated that the tracing process is part of JKM's standard procedure, not to penalise the mother, but to give her a chance to reclaim the child if she changes her mind within the stipulated timeframe.
She added that if the baby remains under JKM's care, its officers will manage the birth certificate registration process.
The certificate, issued by the National Registration Department (JPN), can be completed even without the parents' details.
'If the baby's parents are unknown, the birth certificate will state 'NO INFORMATION' in the mother's name column,' she said.
Currently attending the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Early Childhood Development 2025 in Manila, Bangkok, Fatimah further noted that if the baby is later adopted, a citizenship application may be submitted under Article 15(A) of the Federal Constitution.
She also stressed that baby hatches are a safe option and a lifeline for vulnerable infants.
'The act of placing a baby in a baby hatch is a sign that the mother wants the baby to be safe and to have a brighter future, while also keeping her identity confidential.
'I want to stress that tracking down the mother is part of JKM's existing procedure, to allow time in case the mother changes her mind and wants to reclaim and care for the baby herself,' she said.
Meanwhile, PKMB Kuching confirmed that the case is still under investigation by the Child Protector at the Welfare Office under the Child Act 2001. baby hatch fatimah abdullah social welfare department
