The Terengganu state assembly’s move to outlaw pregnancy or giving birth out of wedlock has caused great apprehension from the Malaysian Paediatric Association (MPA), which said the new amendment does not address the root cause of the issue.

MPA raised concerns that resorting to such punitive measures will discourage young mothers out of wedlock to seek help, and instead, they may attempt to get rid of the babies using unsafe methods.

“This act of criminalisation of pregnant unmarried women fails to...