A 19-year-old who became pregnant after being repeatedly raped by her grandfather, father and two uncles in Serian, Sarawak, intends to keep the child and raise it herself.

The New Straits Times quoted state Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Fatimah Abdullah as saying that the girl had told welfare officers attending to her case that she was ready to be a mother.

"She doesn't want the baby put up for adoption. So we are looking into assistance that can be channelled to her and her child," Fatimah is quoted as saying, adding that the victim has been placed at a rehabilitation centre for unwed mothers in Kuching.

"So far, she's quite stable and our officers will take her for prenatal check-ups until she gives birth.

"She also told us that she does not want to return to her family," Fatimah said.

According to her, since the victim has no job or income, she will be enrolled into some skills training programme, where she will learn the necessary skills to fend for herself in the future.

Younger sister raped as well

As for the victim's younger sister, 14, who was also raped by the same men, she has been placed at a children's home.

Fatimah said her ministry would continue to monitor the younger victim's condition and she would only be sent home when "it is safe and suitable" to do so. Otherwise, she would be kept at the children's home, she added.

The two victims had been subjected to rape by their grandfather, father and two uncles in Kampung Daha Seroban in Serian over the last six years.

The case came to light when the Serian Hospital informed the police about the elder victim's pregnancy, after which the suspects were arrested.

Last Friday, the four men, aged between 57 and 26, were sentenced to a total of 335 years' imprisonment for their crimes by the Sessions Court in Samarahan.

They were also ordered to be given 24 strokes of the rotan, each.

However, each of the four will only serve between 25 years and 30 years in prison, as their sentences were ordered to run concurrently from their date of arrest.