by Salai Ram Nun Cung
March 14, 2009,
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

VOCR visited one NGO clinic in Brickfield Kuala Lumpur and had had interviewed with some of
refugee pregnant women. The VOCR heard that the refugee pregnant women are facing problem to find a place for their medical treatment during and after pregnancy. In order to understand more information about pregnant refugee women, VOCR had had an interview with a pregnant woman, an asylum-seeker from Burma.

VOCR: Could you tell us your name and where you are from?
Dawt: My name is Ms. Dawt and I am an asylumseeker from Chin State, Burma.

VOCR: How long have you been in Malaysia? Are you alone or with your family? How many Chin people are staying with you in your apartment?
Dawt: I have been staying here in Malaysia for more than a year with my husband. I came to Malaysia because my life was not safe in Burma since my husband left me. We do not stay at condominium because the cost is very high. My husband is working at a veterinary and a doctor provides one room for my husband and me, but we are not staying alone because some of our friends from Burma cannot afford a room. So we share them our small. Now, more than 15 persons are staying in one room.

VOCR: Have you been to any clinic before? How long have you been pregnant?
Dawt: I have been pregnant for about five months but never been to any clinic except MCH, as I don’t know how to go around. Besides my husband could only afford our daily bread. I went to MCH clinic last week but they denied my registration. I don't know why they denied my registration. I heard the pregnant women can go and have a treatment at MCH clinic before.

VOCR: Did you have any problems when you go to ACTS clinic?
Dawt: Yes, I did have. The problem was that I cannot either speak Burmese or other foreign
languages besides Lai. (Lai is her mother language; a Chin language of Burma). I blamed myself for not be able to speak Burmese.

VOCR: Wasn’t there any Lai interpreter?
DC: No, there was no Lai interpreter. There was an interpreter who spoke only in Burmese but I could not speak Burmese, that’s why I returned home without having registered for medical treatment.

VOCR: So if you have option to choose whether to go to MCH or ACTS, what will you choose and why?
Dawt: I will surely choose MCH clinic because it is nearer for me and I can go any time during office days but ACTS is only available on Saturday and I know if all refugee women have to approach there once a week, there will be along queue. But I don’t have any choice.

VOCR: Thanks a lot for giving us your time to have this interview.
Dawt: Thank you very much.