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Sarawak Alert!
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.
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