Arya News - They were fined between RM800 and RM3,500 after confessing to deceiving the government when applying for birth certificates and MyKads.
KUALA LUMPUR – A group of 15 Malaysian parents paid the price for faking their adopted children’s identity over 20 years ago.
Yesterday, they were fined between RM800 and RM3,500 after confessing to deceiving the government when applying for birth certificates and MyKads.
The National Registration Department (JPN) said the next step for the adoptive parents of children aged below 21 is to find the correct birth information such as the names of the real parents and place of birth before going through the adoption process and filing for citizenship.
The group, aged between 50 and 70, were charged separately at the Magistrate’s Courts here.
A total of 18 charges were levelled against them with three of the accused facing two counts of offences.
They were charged under Section 36(b) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299), for wilfully or knowingly furnishing or permitting the information.
Four of the accused were also charged with applying for MyKad using the birth certificates. This offence falls under Article 25 (1)(b) of the National Registration Regulations 1990 (Amendment 2007), pertaining to providing information when registering for MyKad.
Act 299 provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000 or imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both while the National Registration Regulations provides a prison term not exceeding three years, a fine not exceeding RM20,000, or both.
They were fined between RM800 and RM1,800 for the offence under Act 299 while those who were charged for registering MyKad using information were fined up to RM3,500.
While some of the accused, comprising 12 men and three women, had their own lawyers, others were represented by counsel from the National Legal Aid Foundation.
According to the charge sheets, the offences were committed between 2004 and 2022 in several locations in Kuala Lumpur, including the JPN counters in Taman Maluri, Bandar Tun Razak and Kepong. They were arrested on Tuesday.
The proceedings took place in seven magistrates’ courts.
JPN investigation and enforcement director Mohammad Khairu Farhan Md Saad said the adoptive parents were exposed following Ops Foster 1.0.
“We are not penalising them, (rather) we are trying to help. These cases took place in 2004 and after 21 years, we want to fix the problems.
“The birth certificates were issued following fake documentation, so now we want to make it right … we will assist them,” he told reporters at the Kuala Lumpur Court Complex here.
He also said that the next step for the parents of children aged below 21 is to find the correct birth information before going through the adoption process and filing for citizenship.
Meanwhile, children above 21 could directly apply for citizenship, he said.