A SHOCKING discovery was made yesterday when a cleaner found the body of a newborn baby boy inside a trash bin at the women’s restroom of the Yong Peng Northbound Rest and Relaxation (RnR) stop.
“I cried and shivered when I realised that the object I had lifted from the bin was a baby,” said 52-year-old Jamaludin Mesman, who has worked as a cleaning staff for two years.
He discovered the infant around 2.25 p.m., wrapped in a jersey and still attached to the umbilical cord, hidden beneath a pile of tissue inside the bin.
“I opened the bin and saw a heap of tissue. Then I noticed a T-shirt underneath and tried to pick it up. Suddenly it felt heavy, and when I lifted it, the baby’s body fell out. I was shocked and immediately alerted the highway maintenance workers nearby,” he recounted.
Police were notified and arrived at the scene around 3 pm.
Batu Pahat District Police Chief Asst Commissioner Shahrulanuar Mushaddat Abdullah Sani said preliminary investigations with the assistance of medical officers from the Yong Peng Health Clinic confirmed that the infant was fully formed, with the placenta and umbilical cord present.
“The body has been sent to Sultanah Nora Ismail Hospital (HSNI) for a post-mortem examination under Section 316 of the Penal Code,” he said.
Police are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward at the nearest police station or contact the Johor Contingent Police hotline at 07-2212999 or Batu Pahat District Police Headquarters at 07-4343999. - January 5, 2025
