The Ministry of Children and Family Development, Adoption Services has received information from the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade concerning adoptions in Sarawak. We would like to bring the following information and concerns to the attention of adoptive parents who are considering adoption from Sarawak.

• For cultural and religious reasons, the adoption of children outside the local (Malaysian) community is not common and may not be supported by the Malaysian authorities. At this time, information suggests that there are long lists of adoptive parents in Malaysia. Intercountry adoption is not encouraged, and is currently considered illegal.
• Information available to us indicates that there are no official fees for adoption in Sarawak, however, U.S. adoption agencies have advertised Sarawak babies available for adoption, quoting fees for their own agency and Malaysian fees.
• As a result of Sarawak's support of inter-family adoption, very few infants are put up for adoption with their Department of Social Welfare. However, information has been circulated by e-mail to adoption agencies in the United States offering Sarawak babies for adoption.
• The Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs has concluded that these issues require careful investigation in order to ensure that adoptions involving Canadian families are fully compliant with Canadian requirements, the laws of Sarawak and international standards for adoption of children.

Effective September 10, 2002, adoptions from Sarawak will not be facilitated in British Columbia. Exceptions will be made for those applying to adopt relatives. New homestudies, completed after this date, by British Columbia licensed agencies must have a notation in the body and on the sign off page that indicates it cannot be used for adoption from Sarawak.

Letters of no objection (LONO) will not be issued by the Director of Adoption for Sarawak. A temporary term and condition has been placed on British Columbia agency licenses disallowing them from participating in any adoption from Sarawak except for those noted above. This situation will be reviewed regularly by the Director of Adoption in consult with the Department of Foreign Affairs.