Four newborns brighten first day of new year at KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital
KUALA LUMPUR: While fireworks lit up the skyline and Malaysians cheered the arrival of 2026, a quieter celebration was unfolding inside the maternity ward at KPJ Ampang Puteri Specialist Hospital where several families welcomed the first newborns of the year.
Hospital staff confirmed that four babies had been delivered as of Jan 1, with births taking place from the early hours through to the afternoon.
For pharmacist Muhammad Sufian Abd Razak, 38, and his self-employed wife Sarah Syahida Abdul Yazit, 39, the arrival of their third child came as a delightful surprise.
“We were actually expecting the baby to be born around Jan 20 to 30, so we were not prepared for an early delivery.
“This morning, my wife told me she was starting to feel contractions. At first, I thought it might just be a false alarm. I didn’t expect it to progress so quickly, but Alhamdulillah, everything went well.”
Contractions began around 8am, with the baby delivered by noon.
“It was unexpected but we felt relieved, happy and excited, especially because it happened on New Year’s Day. Our first two children are girls and this third child is a boy. The delivery went perfectly.”
The couple has yet to finalise a name for their baby.
“We’re still thinking about it. We haven’t finalised anything yet. These days, people tend to prefer simpler names and we’re also considering something simple,” Sufian added.
For another couple, 31-year-old accountants Muhammad Zariq Zulkifli and Khairani Khairuddin, the delivery was moved forward unexpectedly.
“The doctor initially told us the due date was Jan 6 but after assessing the baby’s condition, they felt it might happen earlier.
“My wife had hoped the baby would be born a little later, so the siblings wouldn’t be too far apart in age,” Zariq said.
“When we were told it would be Jan 1, our reaction was, ‘Can it really be that day?’ We only planned for the baby to be born in 2026. But when we found out the baby would be a New Year baby, it felt like something else altogether. It was a ‘wow’ feeling, something we never expected!”
The hospital’s medical director Datuk Dr Azhar Md Noh said the New Year coincided with his first day in the role, adding a personal touch to the celebrations as he presented gifts and hampers to families.
“Today is actually my first day as medical director so I was surprised by the media presence during the New Year baby programme.
“Newborn babies represent joy. They bring us hope and promise for the future.”
“We hope 2026 will be a better year for KPJ Ampang Puteri. We remain committed to providing quality healthcare now and in the future.”
