The day airport baby was born

SEPANG: It was 2am at the waiting lounge of KLIA Terminal 2 when the shrill cry of a woman in labour pierced the air, catching the attention of travellers waiting for their flights.

The pregnant woman was calling out for help. What followed was a dramatic scene in the early hours of Jan 7, bringing together a group of Malaysians who rallied to assist a stranger in need.

Muaz Eirman Bambang, whose work at the airport is to guide travellers seeking information or medical assistance, sprang into action.

“I asked her whether she was going into labour. She gave me a loud ‘yes’!” he recounted.

The first-time mother was a 29-year-old Indonesian who had wanted to catch a 6.55am flight and arrived early to wait in the airport lounge.

Realising the gravity of the situation, Muaz promptly informed his supervisor and called out to airport cleaner Subashini Kurumam who was nearby.

“We laid her down on a row of seats,” he said, describing the scene as “heart-stopping”.

“I couldn’t help but tremble,” said Muaz, who had only been in his role as a Care airport ambassador for about a year.

Subashini hurried to a store room to fetch a blanket for the woman.

Upon returning, she could see the infant’s head and within moments, she assisted in delivering the baby.

“As a mother of four, I understand the childbirth process. I didn’t panic; I just focused on getting the baby out as quickly as possible,” Subashini said.

Both Muaz and Subashini shared their story with The Star during a get-together specially arranged by Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB).

Amid the chaos of the dramatic birth, the aviation security team including L/Kpl Fatin Zafirah came to provide support and ensure everyone’s safety.

Together, they covered the mother with a blanket and utilised clothes from her luggage to wrap the newborn.

However, the baby’s umbilical cord had not yet been cut and the mother was exhausted. By that point, the Airport Operations Control Centre had been notified.

Syed Nazrin Syed Li, the duty officer at the control centre, checked the CCTV footage to assess the situation and alerted the Medilife Paramedics for assistance.

“We received the notification at 2.05am. Within five minutes, the paramedics arrived. Our role was to maintain order and prevent public photography, and I’m grateful that everyone cooperated,” Syed Nazrin said.

Terminal Services Division KLIA T2 admin assistant operation Immazaitul Illyana Naim spoke of how L/Kpl Fatin took care of the infant.

“We were anxious as the baby seemed silent at the time, while the mother had turned pale and was quiet.

“I got some water to be given to her. After taking a sip, the mother gave out a sigh of relief,” Immazaitul Illyana said.

Nurmahal Mohammad, the team leader of the paramedics, said her priority was to ensure the well-being of both the mother and baby.

“I gently tapped the baby to stimulate crying and ensure proper breathing.

“A doctor from Menara Clinic arrived to assist us in cutting the umbilical cord. We laid the mother on a stretcher and examined her condition,” Nurmahal explained.

“The mother informed me that this was her first child. Thankfully, she didn’t experience heavy bleeding or dizziness.

“Around 4am, we transported the mother and baby boy to Hospital Serdang,” she added.

Muhammad Syukree Basyeer Abdul Karim, the senior manager of the Terminal Services Division at KLIA T2, commended the airport’s well-established emergency response system.

The airport staff strictly followed a standard operating procedure to report and provide assistance, he said.

Overall, more than 20 airport staff members helped out in those early hours, demonstrating diligence to their job.

Incidentally, there was also an unexpected childbirth at KLIA T1 just about three weeks earlier.