Sabah Villagers Deny Father Space In Cemetery For Dead Baby Because He Couldn’t Pay

It’s always hard losing a family member, especially if it’s parents losing their little new born baby.

Hence, considering it’s already a hard situation for the parents and the rest of their family members, it’s only fair for the rest of the community to help ease them throughout the burial process.

Unfortunately, in Malaysia, that’s not the case.

Abam Botak took to his Facebook page to highlight an incident in Sabah where a man had to look for an alternative grave site for his dead new born baby after the village they stayed at refused to allow him to use their burial grounds. Why? Because he didn’t enough money or any documentation.

Abam wrote, “I love my religion and my country. My father is a Kadazan-Murut Muslim and my mother is of the Sungai tribes. I have the blood of native Sabah running through my veins. I love the peace of our country, the sense of brotherhood, the sense of fairness and I love humankind and all of God’s creatures. Which is why I am immediately triggered when I see things that shouldn’t be happening.

This morning, there was the death of a new born baby. The father looked high and low for a site and a priest for the funeral. But because he didn’t have any documents or enough money, the baby was denied a spot in their village’s burial ground.”

Source: facebook

Because of that, the baby couldn’t be buried in the village they lived in. Abam wondered why the village didn’t just assist with the burial considering they were a community.

“If we were to think about it, they are Muslims, a brotherhood of Muslims. How much land will a little baby take up until they had to prevent and refuse to help with the funeral of the baby,” he added.

Source: facebook

In the end, the poor father had to bury his little baby at Sim-sim, Sandakan.

“Thank you to the caretakers at Sim-sim for allowing the baby to be buried there. This is proof that you have humanity in your hearts. Remember, brothers. Allah will not ask you which country you are from, but he’ll ask you the responsibilities you have taken on as a Muslim,” he ended.

Source: facebook

What a painful experience for the poor father, to have to hold his dead baby as villagers turned him away from carrying out the funeral.

If only people learned to put themselves in the shoes of others.

Abam Botak’s posting has since garnered over 1,400 shares.

May this be a lesson to the rest of us that no matter what, humanity should be prioritised before money. 

Also read: Penang Children Abandon Their Frail & Elderly Father By Kedah Roadside with Only RM1