PETALING JAYA: More arrests will be made in relation to the uncovering of the syndicate that produces forged documents to enable the application of Malaysian birth certificates, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
On Friday, he revealed that authorities had uncovered a syndicate that uses forged documents to deceive the National Registration Department (NRD) into issuing legitimate birth certificates, which are then sold on the black market.
He said the syndicate’s modus operandi involved individuals posing as “birth informants” who would submit fake documents resembling official verification from registered private healthcare facilities.
Birth certificates obtained through this ruse are then sold to parents or guardians of children without identification documents or Malaysian citizenship, he added.
On the revelation involving 80 cases of fraudulently obtained birth certificates, he said all the individuals involved, such as the parents and the “birth informants”, will be called in for questioning.
“This process will determine the involvement of the individuals, the citizenship status, the country of origin of the child, and whether they were duped by the syndicate or they knowingly partook in a criminal offence of engaging with such a syndicate,” said Saifuddin Nasution, who gave assurances that a humane solution will be found for the innocent children involved.
Child activist and Yayasan Chow Kit founder Datuk Dr Hartini Zainudin said there will always be syndicates in this field as long as there is a demand by desperate parents.
“I managed a case back in 2005 when this couple who had miscarried bought a baby from a private hospital, and they were then offered a birth certificate as biological parents.
“They went to the NRD in Putrajaya, with a set of instructions on which officer to meet at a certain time, and managed to get the birth certificate.
“A few months later, they had returned to make the passport for the baby when a discrepancy was found, and they confessed on how they registered the birth.
“They were then allowed to keep the child, but the child is now stateless as the birth certificate was deemed forged.
“When I rescued a child from traffickers in 2008, they also offered me a birth certificate with my name on it as the biological mother, for an extra RM1,000.
“They told me which police station to go to, which police officer to meet at a certain time and their contact in NRD in Putrajaya. I declined the offer,” said Hartini, who then adopted that child as her daughter.
Executive director of Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas Malaysia, Maalini Ramalo, said the ones who suffer most are the children.
“We actually encourage parents to be honest to the children and the authorities so as to start the legalisation process of the child’s status.
“If the parents are cooperative, then the child can be issued a birth certificate as a non-citizen first, and the issue of citizenship can be worked out later.
“In cases where NRD busts syndicates forging birth certificates, they may ask for DNA tests and interview the parents and the children.
“What is needed are solutions when parents get caught for knowingly or unknowingly buying birth certificates.
“There needs to be more public education on legal ways of adoption as there are many desperate parents out there,” said Maalini, who also called for solutions to be discussed for the implicated children who will soon turn 18, as the only available pathway to citizenship for those above 18 is naturalisation, which can take many years.
