Hard hit by economic woes, Malaysians willing to sell organs on Facebook
A recent survey found that the rising cost of living is having a major impact on Malaysians. An account on the social media with over 700 subscribers accepts offers to sell kidneys from people who urgently need money. A Christian politician reacts to the issue, calling on the government to act.
Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews) – People on hard times can get money by selling their organs, especially kidneys, through a Facebook page called "Mencari Penderma Buah Pinggang" (Looking for kidney donors), which has 717 members across Malaysia.
A recent survey by the UCSI Poll research centre shows that 61 per cent of Malaysians feel hard hit by the rising cost of living. But there is more.
Due to tight finances, more than half of the 1,381 respondents said they could not eat healthy and nutritious food, 37 per cent said they skipped at least one meal a day, and 12 per cent had to borrow money from friends.
On the Facebook page, an individual wrote that he wanted to sell his kidney and a single cornea for 250-300,000 ringgit (US$ 56-76,000) to redeem family land pawned to meet financial needs.
A woman with the username "Aisy Lelika" detailed her age, health, and blood type and wrote that she wanted to sell her kidney for US$ 500,000. She also posted her phone number so that those in need of a transplant can reach out to her.
Just six days ago, someone posted a message asking about the clinical procedures needed to ascertain whether a kidney is healthy for transplant, adding that they intended to sell a kidney because they were desperate for cash.
Under the fictitious name of "Tiada Nam", another user put their kidney up for sale at a cost of only 10,000 ringgit (US$ 2,200).
In Malaysia, as in many other parts of the world, the sale of organs for transplant surgery is illegal. The Ministry of Health notes that organ donation is voluntary, not for profit, and only among close relatives or spouses.
Michael Kong, a Christian politician from the Democratic Action Party, was shocked when he was told about the issue.
“It is deeply troubling that Malaysians are resorting to selling their organs to meet their financial obligations. This situation highlights several critical issues that must be urgently addressed,” he told AsiaNews.
"Firstly, the authorities must take immediate action against Facebook pages such as ‘Mencari Penderma Buah Pinggang’ and similar platforms. Facebook Parent and Meta Platforms should promptly take these pages down, and the government must not turn a blind eye to such alarming activities,” Kong added.
“The exploitation of vulnerable individuals through such platforms is unacceptable and must be halted. It is high time for politicians to set aside their differences and work together positively and collaboratively to move the nation forward” like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Now, more than ever, we need that spirit of cooperation to address the pressing economic issues and ensure a better future for all Malaysians," he noted.
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