Babies for sale going on since 2012: Zahid

KUALA LUMPUR: The police have initiated investigations into the baby-for-sale syndicate following the exposé made in 101 East Al-Jazeera documentary "Malaysia: Babies for sale" aired last year.
Based on the probe, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said, it was revealed that the sale of babies had been going on since 2012 until September 2016.
Ahmad Zahid, who is also the Home Minister, added that syndicate had been selling infants to interested individuals with a price ranging between RM3,500 and RM6,700.
"The case is classified under Section 14 of the Anti Trafficking In Person and Anti Smuggling of Migrant Act 2007 and Section 18 of the Child Act 2001," he said in a parliamentary written reply to a question posed by Sim Tze Tzin (PKR - Bayan Baru).
Sim had asked the Home Ministry whether the documentary report was true and the progress of police investigation into the matter.
The Al-Jazeera's 25 minutes documentary report appeared on social media on Nov 25 last year, exposing the activity of baby selling syndicate in Malaysia which also involved government officials.
Ahmad Zahid said the police and Health Ministry had conducted raids and checks on three clinics and four houses in November last year in Negri Sembilan and Selangor as part of the investigations.
He added six individuals believed to be linked with the syndicate were arrested by the police following the raids, while another two individuals were arrested later to assist with the investigations.
"Seven suspects had been released with police bail, while one suspect was charged under Section 15 (1) (c) of the Immigration Act and was sentenced to seven months jail," he said, adding the case is still under police investigation.