The tragic case of Jia Xin Teo and Baby Teo in the United Kingdom casts a heartbreaking light on Malaysia, bringing attention to the alarming prevalence of infanticide cases across Malaysia.
Since 2018 to February 2024, there have been 509 recorded instances of attempted or completed infanticide, often referred to as “baby dumping” (I thoroughly detest this term) in Malaysia — a term that describes the devastating act of abandoning newborns, often in unsafe places, leading to their subsequent demise.
Unfortunately, infanticide is not a new phenomenon in Malaysia. While baby hatches were established by the government as a means for mothers to anonymously leave their infants, these facilities are not widely accessible and have not proven to be an effective solution.
Health Literacy In Malaysia, Especially SRH, Remains Neglected
At the same time, while conversations on financial literacy continue to echo throughout Malaysia, the pressing need for health literacy — especially comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education — remains neglected.
A brief introduction to reproductive biology in secondary school is insufficient preparation.
Many Malaysians, myself included, barely recall learning about contraception beyond its existence. Since I left school, further efforts to strengthen sexual and reproductive health education have undoubtedly been made through the National Reproductive and Social Health Education Policy, but improvements could come sooner.
Comprehensive sexual health education should go beyond covering contraception and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but to also include medical risks of teenage pregnancy, young parenting, the concepts of bodily autonomy, dangers of sexting and pornography, the foundations of a healthy relationship, as well as a thorough understanding of where to seek help.
Equally important, in my view, are topics often omitted, such as clitoral anatomy, menstrual health, fertility, and menopause.
Abstinence-Only Education Ineffective In Lowering Teen Pregnancy
Research shows that abstinence-only education is ineffective in lowering teen pregnancy, another issue closely related to infanticide in Malaysia.
In fact, A 2009 UNESCO review of 87 studies found that none of these comprehensive sex education programmes prompted earlier sexual activity; in fact, one-third of the programmes reduced the frequency of sexual activity, and over a third led to a decrease in the number of sexual partners.
We must also offer comprehensive sexuality education to teens, young adults, and adults who missed this vital instruction earlier. This should be emphasised and reinforced through tertiary education, at governmental health centres, and various Ministry of Health information portals.
Health Care Professionals Place Undue Focus On Marital Status
Stigma, however, poses a significant barrier in Malaysia. A simple act like buying a pack of condoms at a local pharmacy or seeking a gynaecologist for further contraceptive options or a cervical smear test if unmarried often invites unwarranted questions or judgemental stares.
Friends have shared similar experiences, where health care professionals place undue focus on marital status. Additionally, many health care professionals seem unaware of the legal standing of abortion in Malaysia, with 59.2 per cent (according to a study) viewed abortion as taking one’s life.
Abortion, in fact, has been legal in Malaysia since 1989 for up to 22 weeks’ gestation (for Muslims up to 20 weeks’ gestation with varying caveats as stipulated by the National Fatwa Council) for cases in which continuation of pregnancy would jeopardise a woman’s mental and/or physical health, with no limits in cases for severe foetal abnormalities and in maternal life-saving situations.
Despite legal access, the option remains hard to navigate, and social stigma endures.
Clearly, the lesser of all evils, is to provide accessible contraception and abortion services — rather than the dire option of infanticide, which has somewhat become a national phenomenon.
A Reflection Of Our Collective Failure
Teo’s Malaysian upbringing, her recent move to the UK, her desperate measures to conceal her pregnancy from everyone than to face a complicated labour on her own and the subsequent infanticide, painfully underscores our nation’s critical shortfall in sexual and reproductive health education and the deep-rooted cultural and religious stigma surrounding women’s bodily autonomy.
While I sympathise to an extent with Teo due to these constraints, I struggle to excuse her poor decisions, especially considering the availability of resources online and the reduced stigma for single, pregnant women in the UK.
This may partly explain the lack of public empathy for her in the UK, as she is 22 years old, and therefore, seen as an adult fully capable of making decisions — murdering a newborn is beyond forgivable.
May Baby Teo rest in peace.
As a Malaysian obstetrician and gynaecologist in the UK, this tragic case hits close.
I am deeply saddened and profoundly ashamed that despite the stark reality of these cases, no meaningful progress has been made to address the issue of infanticide in Malaysia.
This tragic case is, undeniably, a reflection of our collective failure.
Dr Hannah Nazri is a National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Academic Clinical Fellow and specialty trainee doctor in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Warwick. She is also the founding director of the Malaysian Doctors for Women & Children and a member of the board of advisors for the Asia Network to End FGM/C.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Ova.
