PETALING JAYA: Adoptive parents of children saved from a baby-selling syndicate in Penang earlier this year are fearful that they will not be able to go through with the adoption process before the case is heard in court.
Yayasan Chow Kit founder Dr Hartini Zainudin said that the parents raised concerns over getting birth certificates for the children involved in the case, which was first brought into light in January but has yet to be tried in court.
It was reported that police busted a Penang-based child trafficking syndicate in Penang and rescued 21 babies and children.
The adoptive parents of the children were granted temporary guardianship in April pending police investigation.
According to Dr Hartini, it takes two years for an adoption application to be finalised but the prospective parents cannot start the process before the case is tried.
"The court has given the adoptive parents temporary custody and an extension to reapply for the children's birth certificate as the original ones are deemed to have been falsified.
"However, the parents cannot reapply for the birth certificates without the go-ahead from the police," she said.
She added that steps will be taken to meet with the police, Attorney-General's Chambers and the Home Ministry to settle the issue.
It was reported that there has been no successful attempt made to locate any of the children's biological parents.
"Right now, from a legal standpoint, it looks like the parents falsified the original birth certificates. We need the police to let go of the case if the reapplication is to be done," she told The Star Online.
An official letter has already been sent to the police, and the parents are waiting for a reply before taking the next step.
Dr Hartini also raised concerns about the future of the children if the matter is not resolved soon.
"Even after the go-ahead from the police, it could be up to two years for the adoption process to be finalised. This does not include the application for citizenship.
"These children are stateless and no one can be sure how long it will take to get them citizenship," she said adding that it was not possible for the children to attend school, obtain identification cards or enjoy any of the rights and benefits that a citizen enjoys.
"What will happen to these children? Some of them are already eight years old. How are they going to go to school?" she asked.
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