Rescued babies to undergo DNA testsRescued babies to undergo DNA tests

KUCHING: All eight rescued babies will be undergoing DNA tests to ascertain their origin or biological family.

HIGH-PROFILE CASE: Hamza (right) and Huzir at the press conference.

State Deputy Police Commissioner SAC Datuk Hamza Taib yesterday said the police wanted to be doubly sure even though all the babies had birth certificates.

“We have rescued eight babies – five girls and three boys. Their ages range from 23 days to 12 years. We will carry out DNA test on all the babies for identification purpose as well as to trace their biological families,” he said.

The DNA tests could determine the nationality of the babies, the deputy CP said.

Speaking at a press conference at the State Police Headquarters here, he added that the birth certificates of these babies would be an important clue for the police to identify the parents.

The birth certificates showed that some of the babies were born in public hospitals while some in private clinics, he said, but did not reveal whether these medical facilities were in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Hamzah said 16 suspects, seven of whom were males, had been placed on remand to facilitate police investigation.

Among these 16, 12 are locals and four foreigners and they are aged between 19 and 65.

Several of them are buyers of the trafficked babies, said Hamza but declined to elaborate.

“The case is being investigated under the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. Our duty is to investigate and to gather enough evidence,” he said.

On whether any more suspects would be placed on remand or babies to be rescued, Hamza said there was such a possibility.

He disclosed that a task force headed by the State CID chief ASC Huzir Muhamed had been formed to oversee the case.

“We will investigate whether any ‘agency’ (criminal syndicate) was involved in the case. We will establish all the facts. Let us finish our investigation first,” he said.

The racket was exposed on July 12 when a 32-year-old Indonesian woman was nabbed during a sting in Batu Kawah after she had allegedly offered to sell an infant girl to undercover cops for RM10,000.

This led to a series of arrests and recovery of children who are all believed to have been ‘obtained’ through improper and possibly illegal means.