Kota Kinabalu: Childless couples are warned not to get involved in any baby selling racket."The matter was sounded out to me not long ago, and I told the informer to find out more. I would not hesitate to call up the hospital director concerned if true," said State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Jainab Ahmad Ayid (pic).
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"I urge those who have information or proof of the existence of a baby racket in KK to inform me as well as lodge a police report," she said. She did not name the hospital she was referring to.Jainab, who is Karambunai Assemblywoman, stressed that newborn babies need to be screened for their health status."We do not know the background of babies, including those dumped by their heartless mothers. Who knows, they may have a congenital disease or deformity. Abandoned babies with congenital anomalies would be treated and placed under the care of the State Public Welfare Services Department (JPKA)," she said.
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She recalled a case where the "adoptive" parents, who did not go through the official channel, found out later that their "adopted" baby had some form of abnormality. "It was not detected earlier but the child's condition became apparent in his growing-up years," said the Minister.Jainab reckoned that "desperate" childless couples took the shortcut and did not go through the proper adoption procedure probably because of red tape.
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Childless couples who wish to adopt children are encouraged to apply for "foster parent" status through the JPKA.According to her, the prospective foster parents are required to do fostering and provide protection to the child for two years before the adoption process can take place under the Child Adoption Ordinance 1960 for non-Muslims. Muslim applicants have to go through the Syariah Court."Abandoned or dumped children will be handed over to qualified foster parents who have fulfilled the criteria for approval as foster parents," Jainab said.Statistics indicate that the department had processed 173 applications since 2011 until July this year."So far, 27 childless couples have been made foster parents. The offer depends on the number of cases in question," said the Minister.Asked on JPKA's frequency in seeking the public's assistance to trace the whereabouts of the parents or next-of-kin of abandoned babies or children, she said advertising, tracing the whereabouts of or searching for the parents or guardians of unwanted children (saved by the Department) is the most important action in the process of saving children. This procedure is contained in the Child Act 2001 under Section 15 of the Act. "Children have the right to know who their family members are, and be reunited with their respective families. Likewise, as family members are responsible for the children concerned, they (family members) also have the right to get back their 'missing' children, for example. The search for family members is necessary before the 'gazetted Protector' takes further action."The Protector's effort to 'save' children in crisis considers the need to meet 'The Best Interests of the Child'," Jainab pointed out. 'The Best Interests of the Child' is a child rights principle, which is derived from Article 3 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).This move also aims to avert any problem that may possibly arise after the child has been handed over to his or her adoptive family. "We are also wary of the possibility of children ending up in the wrong hands, say paedophiles."In fact, Jainab said, the process of the search is a key factor that will assist the court in making the best decision for the child. "Whatever the case, we (Ministry) find that rarely do parents or family members come forward to take responsibility for the abandoned or dumped child. Perhaps they (parents or family members) fear legal action against them for what they had done to the child. And maybe there are those who simply let the child remain under the care of the State Public Welfare Services Department (JPKA)."While none have so far come forward to claim those "abandoned" or "dumped" babies, Jainab said there was only one "missing child" case in Sabah as a result of negligence where the child was reunited with the family in 2003. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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