Indonesia baby trafficking ring: Singapore adoption agencies expected to do due diligence on origin of babies
However, as agencies operate on a commercial basis, adoptive parents also bear some responsibility, said Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming.
Close-up of a baby's hand. (Photo: iStock)
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SINGAPORE: Adoption agencies in Singapore are expected to take the necessary steps and bring in children of "correct background and origin", Minister of State for Social and Family Development Goh Pei Ming said on Wednesday (Jan 14).
He was responding to questions from Ms Sylvia Lim (WP-Aljunied) in parliament about a suspected Indonesian trafficking ring transferring babies to Singapore.
However, as agencies operate on a commercial basis, adoptive parents also bear some responsibility, said Mr Goh.
In September last year, the Indonesian National Police said that the alleged cross-border baby-trafficking syndicate gathered 25 babies, and 15 had already been sent to Singapore "under the guise of adoption".
Singapore authorities said last week that adoptive parents of children brought from Indonesia to Singapore are facing delays in their children's citizenship applications amid investigations into the syndicate.
Ms Lim said that parents in Singapore are innocent parties, and that adoption orders were given on the basis of recommendations by officers from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) or their partners.
She asked if the ongoing investigations affect public confidence in the adoption process, and whether MSF officers or partners could have discovered suspicious circumstances before the adoption orders were made.
Mr Goh responded that there are processes in place to ensure that agencies abide by procedures to ensure that the babies are from "appropriate sources", but that the onus is on adoptive parents to try their best to ensure that children are identified, matched and placed in families in line with Singapore's laws and that of the child's country of origin.
Ms Lim then asked if there is nothing more that agencies can do to prevent similar issues from happening in future.
"Because I mean, the parents, really, what can they do?" she asked.
Mr Goh said that the authorities do have guidelines for agencies about what they can do, cannot do and what is due diligence on their part.
"If we do uncover that agencies are aware that the children they are bringing in are of unknown and suspicious origin, and despite so, bring them in, they will be taken to task ... We will take the necessary action against those agencies," he said.
Agencies are expected to do all the due checks before bringing children into Singapore, he added.
"But having said so, there may still be cases whereby something may have been done in the country of origin, with the agencies in Singapore not knowing of what that background may be," he said.
CITIZENSHIP ON HOLD
Ms Lim also asked if MSF would provide assistance to families affected by the investigation into the alleged Indonesia baby-trafficking ring, citing higher childcare fees for foreign children whose citizenship applications are facing delays.
MSF recognises the emotional stress and financial strain on parents and families, said Mr Goh, adding that adoptive parents can approach the ministry, and every case will be assessed based on the circumstances.
He explained that the the adoption process and citizenship process are separate because they are governed by different legal frameworks and policy considerations.
Adoption establishes the legal relationship between parent and child, and is assessed primarily based on the child's welfare and the suitability of adoptive parents. Citizenship is evaluated based on immigration considerations.
The parent-child relationship must be established first, and not all adoption applications will get approved for citizenship, he said.
Mr Goh also said he was unable to comment on the timeline of the ongoing investigations, and that Singapore is working closely with Indonesian authorities.
"We understand that the uncertainty may cause a little bit of anxiety for the affected families," he said, adding that MSF empathises with the parents.
"We're trying to proceed as expeditiously as possible ... to give the families a resolution," he said.
