By South China Morning Post | Created at 2024-12-16 03:21:09 | Updated at 2024-12-16 06:02:58
2 hours ago
Police in Malaysia are investigating a private hospital accused of withholding the body of a dead baby until the parents settled their bills in a case that has sparked outrage across the country.
The case centres around Muhammad Adham Mikail, who was born on November 24 with cyclopia syndrome – a severe congenital condition characterised by a single eye and other anatomical abnormalities. The infant died shortly after delivery at Razif Maternity Hospital in Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur.
The baby’s father, 22-year-old Safwan Roshdy, claimed that the hospital informed him and his wife that they could not retrieve their child’s body for burial until they settled a 2,480-ringgit (US$557) bill.
The story quickly went viral after activist Wan Cai, who runs the Special Funeral Van Unit providing affordable funeral services to the underprivileged, brought it to light.
What followed was a torrent of counter-allegations between the hospital, Safwan, his lawyer, and the activist.
In a statement released late on Friday, the Selangor state police confirmed they had received a formal complaint from Safwan, and that inquiries were under way at the South Klang police headquarters to investigate possible criminal actions.
