KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - A total of 67 Merdeka babies, 37 of them boys, were born at 11 government hospitals in the city and Selangor,

Bernama reported that the series of births were recorded from 12.01am until noon yesterday.

The Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital in Klang had the highest number of births with 13 babies, followed by Selayang Hospital (12), Kuala Lumpur Hospital (11), Sungai Buloh Hospital (eight), Ampang Hospital (six), Serdang Hospital (six), Banting Hospital (four), Tengku Ampuan Jemaah Hospital, Sabak Bernam (three), Kajang Hospital (three) and Kuala Kubu Baru Hospital (one).

Four of them were born through Caesarian section, each at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital, Sungai Buloh Hospital, Serdang Hospital and the Tengku Ampuan Jemaah Hospital.

Selangor's first Merdeka baby, weighing 3.1kg, was born at 12.10am at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital.

Kuala Lumpur Hospital's first Merdeka baby for this year is Muhammad Adam Iskandar Abdul Aziz, weighing 2.46kg at 12.17am.

The Pantai Medical Cen-tre celebrated the birth of two Merdeka babies by handing out hampers of baby gifts and products to the parents.

The baby boys were Aidan Reilly Kam while the other has yet to be named.

Aidan's father, Alexander Kam, 39 said Aidan was his first child and he was 'absolutely thrilled' that he was a Merdeka baby.

Kam, an information technology manager with DHL, said he had expected Aidan to be born this month.

'Aidan finally came into the world after putting his mother through 21 hours of labour,' said Kam.

In Ipoh, farmer Chai Ka Hing and his wife Chang Yoke Eng finally had a baby girl after six years of trying. To top off their joy, the 2.9kg baby girl was born on Merdeka day at 1.09am.

'Not only did we finally have a daughter, we are really happy that she was born on Merdeka Day,' said the 39-year-old when met after receiving a goodie bag from Perak executive councillor Datuk Dr Mah Hang Soon at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital.