SELAMA: A newborn baby girl with the umbilical cord still attached was discovered at the As Salam Islamic Studies Centre, Rantau Panjang, here, yesterday morning (Jan 6).
Selama district police chief, Superintendent Sarudin Samah, said that around 5.30 am, a tahfiz congregation intending to perform the morning Fajr prayer found a suspicious box in front of the gate.
Upon inspection, they discovered a newborn baby girl inside the box, still alive with the umbilical cord and placenta attached.
"We believe the baby was left in that area for less than three hours. The baby has been taken to Selama Hospital, but due to her weight of about two kilograms, she has now been transferred to Taiping Hospital for further treatment. However, the baby is in stable condition and still under medical care," he said when contacted by the media.
He further mentioned that they are currently conducting further investigations under Section 317 of the Penal Code.
"The investigation is ongoing, and a further examination through closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage at the tahfiz centre did not reveal the perpetrator. We are also checking private clinics here to identify individuals who may have received maternity care but found no clues.
"We ask the public with information about the incident to come forward and assist the police, providing information at any nearby police station," he added.