Galen Centre for Health and Social Policy CEO Azrul Khalib said the case exposed outdated laws that criminalised women while ignoring the root causes of unplanned pregnancies.
“No woman or girl should face prison for exercising autonomy over her body,” he said in a statement.
Azrul argued that Malaysia’s abortion laws were based on 19th-century provisions and did not reflect modern medical standards or the challenges faced by young, poor, or unmarried women.
While abortion is legally allowed under certain conditions, he said, stigma and poor access to services often force women to resort to unsafe methods.
Citing a 2022 health ministry survey, he said one in three pregnancies was unplanned, while over 25% of women lacked access to family planning and the use of modern contraceptives remained below 35%.
Azrul added that the Worth Health Organization supported the use of mifepristone and misoprostol for self-managed abortion up to 12 weeks of pregnancy.
However, mifepristone is not registered in Malaysia and misoprostol is only approved for treating gastric ulcers.
“Criminalising abortion drives people underground and increases risks, while unsafe abortions contribute to 13% of maternal deaths globally,” he said, adding that Malaysia’s maternal mortality rate had stagnated for years.
Azrul urged the government to review restrictive laws, improve awareness of abortion guidelines among healthcare workers, and expand access to contraceptives and counselling, regardless of marital status.
“When a third of pregnancies are unintended, the solution cannot be prison walls.”
Earlier today, it was reported that 21-year-old Norazzeti Azima Awang Long was sentenced to nine months in jail by the Ayer Keroh magistrates’ court in Melaka after pleading guilty to causing the death of her child before birth.
Norazzeti had purchased misoprostol online for RM600 to terminate her five-month pregnancy.
The charge was brought under Section 315 of the Penal Code, which provides for up to 10 years in jail, a fine, or both upon conviction.