Baby Hatch

12 Sep 2010 - The first 'baby hatch' in Malaysia was opened last week by a local charity. The baby hatch is a small cot with an alarm that triggers the air-conditioning as soon as the baby is placed in the cot. The baby is safe until found by the caretaker, and the mother will never be known. Most mothers are believed to be single mother who are too ashamed to take care of their babies. The charity hopes that the initiative will safe more unwanted babies. In Malaysia, more than 500 babies were abandoned since 2005. Some were left at prayer halls, others were found at the doorstep or even in rubbish bins - most were found dead. Sexual education in Malaysia mainly focus es on abstination and it is illegal for Muslims to have sex outside their marriage. Critics say the programme will make it too easy for mothers to abandon their babies, encouraging extra-marital sex.