KUALA LUMPUR: The parents of a newborn have named their child after the policewoman who went out of her way to help the mother safely deliver her child in a taxi two weeks ago.
The baby boy was named Rizky Sardi Mathi-varna, after the “midwife cop”, L/Cpl Komathi Narayanan.
The parents said they felt it was a fitting honour for the 27-year-old policewoman for the kindness she showed on Oct 7 when she assisted the Indonesian woman to deliver the child.
Yesterday, top brass and other personnel at the Cheras district police headquarters held a special ceremony for Komathi.
Also present was the 43-year-old driver of the taxi, Wong Kok Loong, who ferried the mother without hesitation in her time of need.
Both Komathi and Wong received certificates of appreciation and plaques from Cheras police chief ACP Mohamed Mokhsein Mohamed Zon.
“They are heroes. When three other cabbies refused to ferry the woman in labour, Wong stepped up without giving it a second thought despite knowing the mess it will cause to his taxi. Komathi was truly a shining example in a situation that was filled with adversities. She had to face so many obstacles.
“To deliver a baby, one has to be undaunted. I know this because I witnessed the birth of all my four children. Just witnessing the delivery of a child can be nerve-wracking.
“However, both Komathi and Wong were brave and ensured mother and child arrived safely at the hospital. It was a multi-racial cooperation that helped someone and probably saved their lives. At the height of questions on racial issues arising, here is a perfect example of how we should live in harmony and help each other regardless of race,” Mohamed Mokhsein said during his speech at the ceremony.
Interviewed by theSun, Wong said his main concern was the safety and wellbeing of the mother and her child.
“I did not expect to get so much attention and praise for this. I just wanted to help and had no expectations. Previously, I have ferried accident victims to hospitals. How can I simply drive away when people are in need of help?
“Komathi was very brave. When she approached me, there was already a passenger in my taxi but after she told him it was an emergency he stepped out.“
When Komathi was asked what prompted her to go beyond the call of duty when she could have called for an ambulance, she said that any delay could have put both mother and child at risk.
“I just could not bear to see anything go wrong. I would never have been able to live with that. That is why I had to do something. Never did I expect it to receive so much publicity.”
Apart from garnering tens of thousand of “likes” and praises from netizens after the story was uploaded on Facebook on Oct 7, the case also caught the attention of the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.
In a Twitter message, Tunku Azizah congratulated the police force and thanked Komathi for helping the mother.
“An attitude that should be emulated and I pray for the good health of the mother and child,” she said.
