Couple In KL Caught For Allegedly Selling Their Twin Babies On Mudah For RM15k
The advertisement was posted on Friday, 8 December.
By Nandini Balakrishnan — 13 Dec 2017, 12:07 PM
A couple was arrested on Monday, 11 December, for allegedly putting their twin babies up for sale online
According to New Straits Times (NST), Kuala Lumpur Police Chief Datuk Mazlan Lazim said that the young couple were detained at two different locations.
"The 20-year-old woman was detained at her house in Setapak around 8pm, while her boyfriend who is two years younger than her was nabbed an hour later at his house in Ampang.
"The suspects were believed to have advertised their four-month-old twins for RM15,000 on a website on Friday (8 December)," explained Datuk Mazlan to NST.
The babies have since been removed from the mother's care and handed over to the Social Welfare Department
Datuk Mazlan said yesterday, 12 December, that the couple have been released on bail.
The case is being investigated under Section 48: Trafficking In and Abduction Of Children of the Child Act 2001. If convicted, the perpetrators can be sentenced to jail for no more than five years or fined for a maximum of RM10,000.
Prominent social causes advocate and child activist, Syed Azmi posted a Facebook status on the issue, highlighting that he had been in touch with the girl for the past three months
"I know them around three months ago sebab (because) want to know what is their plan and how they can raise the babies. Still tak nikah (not married) at that time.
"Thank God tak kahwin (not married), both cannot afford to take care of the babies, they tried suruh orang lain jaga (asking for someone else to take care of the babies)... after three families semua tak larat sebab (all couldn't do it because) the babies asyik nangis (kept crying). In the end, they post online to sell it off at RM15,000," read his post.
He explained that he immediately got in touch with the authorities after finding out that she had put the babies up for sale and brought them to her house.
"I explained to her (the babies' mother) it's wrong. I asked her how did she put the price on the babies. 'Main tekan-tekan kat handphone je (I just checked on my handphone)' .
"I asked her, 'You tell me, what is your price?'. She just kept quiet," explained Syed.
Syed said that the girl's family had previously tried to give the babies away to someone who was interested to adopt them, but the process was stalled by her mother who wanted money for giving up the babies
He also expressed his disappointment over the fact that the girl was rude to her parents when they were having the conversation on what should be done with the babies.
"In the end, there are three choices that we suggested. One is to find an adoptive family, send to JKM or send to OrphanCARE. For tonight, the babies are taken by us to a safe house," added Syed on Monday.