An interesting topic was brought out by my fellow friend during tonight's dinner. A friend of mine had raised a question as to whether or not is abortion legal in Malaysia (we are both Malaysian) and I couldn't answer her at all because i personally never look into this issue before. I do have friends that had undertake abortion operation, however, they all went through it using 'back door'. So i assumed that it is illegal in Malaysia.
Nevertheless, i went on and did some research about it and in the meantime compare it with the Abortion in UK.
Generally, Abortion is illegal in Malaysia UNLESS the termination is held to save the life of the woman, to preserve physical and mental health. I am surprise when i found out that termination of pregnancy is not allow to those victim who gets pregnant due to a rape. As a female myself, i couldn't imagine the pain of being raped and what's more is -- the need to carry the rapist's child for life. However, come to think of it, it could be argued that fetus/children is innocent in this case and their life shouldn't be taken away like that. It is indeed a very tough issue to decide, and it all depends on how people weighted it --The mother's condition or the baby's right to live.
On the other hand, UK took a very different stand in abortion issue. Not only victim of a rape is allowed to undertake termination, if the mother doesn't feel like having the baby, she can also undertake the termination as long as the fetus is not up to 24 weeks (Human Embryology and Human Fertilisation Act 1990).
'Abortion up to 24 weeks is also allowed if there is a substantial risk that the child when born would suffer "such physical or mental abnormalities as to be seriously handicapped".
An abortion must be agreed by two doctors (or one in an emergency) and carried out by a doctor in a government-approved hospital or clinic.' -- BBC ethnics
However, there are arguments about the legal time limit for abortion. There are suggestions that the parliament should amend the 1990 Act and cut down the 24 weeks of legal time limit to a shorter period, for example 16 or 20 weeks. The reason behind this is because there are studies shown that the survival rate of baby who born in 24 to 25 weeks have increase significantly, and the rate have not risen to those baby who born in 23 weeks or less. However, this is the PM David Cameron's decision as to whether or not he favors a cut.
I personally hope that abortion in Malaysia can be legalised. From what I'd learned, if abortion is not legalised, there would be women anyway who might seek abortion at the hands of untrained people and by doing that putting their own life at risk.
Not to forget, there is something far worst than abortion and it has been a pressing problem of unwed mother and infanticide in Malaysia.
'Abandoned and left to die. This is the fate of an increasing number of unwanted babies that end up in toilets and rubbish bins among other places. A few are found dead while others are saved in the nick of time.'
SIAW CHIN TEE
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