KOTA KINABALU – Desperation, especially after losing her source of income during the Covid-19 lockdown, has led a mother to try selling her three children.
This did not happen following intervention by police and the Social Welfare Department, said Sabah PKR Youth chief Raymond Ahuar, adding that he was informed of the matter by the authorities.
“The eldest, a girl, was rescued near the Malaysian-Indonesian border by police, along with welfare officers.
“I was also informed that the mother has received the deposit for the second child, a boy, but the buyer did not show up. The mother did not have a buyer for her youngest, a girl.”
While he does not condone the woman’s actions, Ahuar said the incident demonstrates the harsh reality of rural folk amid the economic crisis sparked by the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said many are affected by the soft economy, including losing their jobs, while businesses have been forced to close.
“Farmers are also troubled, as they are unable to generate an income from selling their produce during the lockdown.”
He said the government should study the effects of the emergency, imposed to contain the virus, on the people.
Following Ahuar’s statement, Sabah police have now denied that the mother was trying to sell her children.
Sabah police commissioner Datuk Hazani Ghazali advised all parties to stop spreading unverified news as it may cause public anxiety.
Hazani was referring to the statement released by Ahuar, who alleged that a mother from Keningau had sold her three children after she ran out of money and source of income.
Meanwhile, Keningau police chief Shahrudin Mat Husain said a couple, believed to be the parents of the three children, have been arrested over alleged drug abuse.
The husband was arrested on May 22 and charged under Sections 12(2) and 15(a)(1) of the Dangerous Drugs Act 1952, while the wife was arrested on June 11 after she tested positive for methamphetamine.
“During the arrest, two children – a 5-year-old and 7-month-old – were with the mother. They have been sent to the Social Welfare Department.
“Another child, aged 7, was sent to the department the next day (June 12).”
Shahrudin said the woman went around asking people for help to raise bail for her husband.
“There is no element of any human trade activity, or the woman selling her children for money out of desperation as alleged.”
He urged the public to stop spreading inaccurate information without first checking with police.
Earlier, The Vibes had reached out to police for confirmation. – The Vibes, June 16, 2021
Additional reporting by Essam Abdullah
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