KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19: Bandar Kuching Member of Parliament Kelvin Yii has called for an independent and transparent investigation into allegations that infants of stateless mothers in a Sabah hospital were being forcibly taken away and given up for adoption against their will.
“There shouldn’t be any compromise on this matter and such independent investigation is important to get to the bottom of this and hold those responsible accountable regardless of their positions and standing, ” he said in a statement issued here today.
“While the Sabah Health Department on Saturday, Sept 16, did lodge a police report denying allegations that babies were being snatched in the state’s public hospitals, the timing of the report and the speed of the “internal investigation” being that the report was made a day after the news was reported, raised a lot of questions and cast doubts on the independence of such an internal investigation.
“While I do not question the professionalism of many of the health workers within the Health Department, but it is normal that many doubts are raised on the fairness of such an investigation, especially if it could possibly implicate themselves.”
Dr Yii said he also welcomed the Minister of Health’s stand in Parliament that there will not be a compromise on this matter and that she was open to an independent investigation and personally looking into the issue.
He also said there was a need to look into the possibility that the matter could be happening in other hospitals, especially to the most vulnerable – the undocumented.
“We must look into the root of the issue, to prevent the possibility of a generation of stolen children in our hospitals across the country and more importantly that no mothers have to go through such an ordeal.”
–WE