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PREPARTP, REPR!NTED]AND PUBLISHED BY

THE COM,MISSTONER O, F tAw REVISION, SARAWAK

UNDER THE AUTI+O-BjTy, CF Tr+.E ntVriioN OT LAWS ORDINANCE; 1e92.

2008

ffiffiffiffi..'''..'''

Incorporating all srnendments up fo 3i sl December, 2008

WLA}VS OF SAR{WAK

CHAPTER 91

(195S Edition)

ADOPTIOI{ ORDINA\CE

Enacted in 1941 as Order No. A,-9/4 I .

Revised in 1948 as L-*ap, 76 of t94$, Edition.

Rer.'ised in 1958 as I'l of:t9-i8 Editian:

Reprintcd in 1967

The Sara*nk Constitution(Ainendment) (No.,2)

Interpre tation iAmendrnen 1)

Ord.inance, l99t

Adoption (Amendment)

Ordinance.200?

[-IST OF A.il,fE]{Di\,{EI$:IS

Sh'ort T{rtre InfoyceframAnending [a*,,

Ord. No. 9/76

Cap, A?8

Cap..,t100

18th December., J976

?9rth fuiay:; 1995

L st December. ?002

lg.rvs ox' s*naw,nK)

Chapter 91

{195$ EditiCIn)

ADOPTION ORDINANCE

.{IUL4}ICE.I'1ENT OF SECTIONS,

Secliqn

1. Short title

la. [5ifelprer4rion

'2, Adoppon,ofchildre,q; *... :, .-3, Procedure.onaduption

4. Regiqgatio-n,

,,5,, eondjricins:of,"ialid.addgiiiou

6. Fuaheq adopticn of an:adop;eA c[14

6A, Offendes and penalues

68. Information on adoption,

t:I, Wheniadoption.nraybeannulled

,8. Interesr of ihind,p fiouut

,9, nd.optien,effesi-dd:'outqidj Sara\4rk

I0. ?orver to prov.ide fo,q certain extrao5di113ry lbry.rs of adgption

l',1. .9avj.ng,

12" Regulaiions

cAP.9'I (1958 ED,)

LAWS OF SARAWAK

Chapter 91/i SiR tr'r{ifio*\\'41sv +i's'siv'iJ

ASOPTION ORDIN"{NCE

An Ordinanee to mabe hetter proilsian in, th€,\'aw relattng, to theadap$ttn at children'

j st Jan*alt., tg4z]

Shsrt,title1. This Ordinance mali be cited as the Adoption Ordinaace,

Interpretation

I-+. ln this,Oidinance

"adop-ting parentl' means aiperson who adopts, or intends toadopt a childi in accordance'lvith this Otdinance;

o'cerrifica,t0" fieans ,a certificate of adoptio4 issued undersection 4{3} or a duplicate thereof issued under,section 4(5);

"'ehi1d',means an:unmarried person under thq,aga of eightgenyrears;

"gqar.dianl' means a guardian appointerJ by a court of,conapetent jurisdi0ffin ,o:r in acco-rdanee with

'section 4 of 5 ff fie,'

, Guardianshi; of'Infant$ :Ordinance /f*p . gi 3 ( t'ii S E d.S I ;

'*niitual persnt' ms''44g, thb;'biol"ogieal father or rnolhef af achild, irrespectiv:e ofi,u ether' o!'not the fathei'and, mother 'are''''':;,.cqhabitins,as husbaid,and wife, or are legglly marriedi

iiSarawak'connection"'nleans" in relgtion to any persou, a

PSfSOn:nrhO--

{o} ii,born,,in S,arawak and, on+ of ,his parents a.lse

haSlS arawak: conn:ection; Or

n-

(b)

{c)

Adoption of children

2._-*( 1) Subject

cJF.9l {tgss fD.J

is permanently residing in Sarawak; or

is dorniciled in Sararvak,

[ {|ts,, Cdp. i{ I 0#.}

to this Orclinsnce any'personmay adopt a child,

(2) Such adopted cllild shall sta.nd in the sams,relation to'theadopting parent or parents as would a child bom in wedlock and shallhave all the,rights and prtvile€es of a iegiiimate chiid in respect of the

oliligations and estate of the adopting'parents,

(3) TTre natural parents of such aclopted child shali have nocontrol- or,right over such adopted child and such adopted child shal,l

have no clairn by inheritance to the property of his natuiai parents.

i4) Subsections (2) and (3) shali cea$e to havs effect if thgadbption,is arur*ulled under section' 7.

Procedure on adoption

3,..-{1)(ai An application for rggi,stration of an adoption,of a childshall bernade in sueh, for-m as,may: be,piescribed by the State Secfetaryand subminerl, to the District'Officer for the District rlhere any of the

natural parents or adopting parents or guartiia{,r resides,, together rvithall docurnentqry and other ev-idence necessary' tb satisfy the,, DistfictOffi:cer of the conditions set out.,in section -i(i).

(b) The District Ofiicer may-(i) require the natural parents or adopting parents or

gqardian to produce a medidal rep-ort frorn ,a ieg,.ister,ed medicalpractitioner or a doctor in a Govemment h$spital,,dn,'the hgalth.ofihe child; or

(ii) request thb D-,irectbr of the :Sfate, Welfare Dep'aftment toexamine the, child or interview the natural parent.or adoptingparent or guardian, and subrnit to him a repofi on the r,velfare, ofthe child or the, social, financial and personal background of thenatural parentS,, or arlop'ting parents or gpardian based upon :such

ex amination or inteliew,

AIJOPI'ION

i

I

I

!o enable hinr tp deten:rine wheiher the aciopiion rveuld be in theparamount inreresl of fhe child,

(") \\"here the District Officer is satisfied iron: the iriflrnnatiandisclosed in rire application ibglr ancl dre docunieiltary and oiherevidence subinitted. by the natural p-arents and adoptirig parents orguardian, and the report, if an,v, produced or made available uniier,paragreph (a), rhat the conditions for a valjcl adoption have beenfulfilled, the Distr.ict Officer shall notiiv the partles, rheir iirn****r.and if neuessaryr lher child, ro appear uifore irim for rhe purpose of.registration ot' the ar3opti on,

(,2) where the natural parenrs and ihe aclopting parenrs orguardian and their ,"vitnesses appear before rhe Districf otfi.*r, heshall record thcir presence anri their unequivocal consent in rvriting tolhe adoption.

(3) The District officer, it- full,v satisiied by documenraryevidenee,ihrt th,a adoption is bona .fidg and the chiid is born in

, Sararvak and has Sarar.vak connection, rnay'dispense with tire personalattendance of, the natural parent5, ss,por€nt or, guaidian of the,,child,providetl tlrat ihe adopting-parents siratt funiishfo the District Ofijcera stafutor)- declaration voluntar.ily made by the natur parcnts oTparent or ggardian, thar their consenr has been freei1, t"; for iheadoption of the,child,

(4) (n) lYhere a married person adopts a ctrild, the consent ofboth the adopting tarher and mother must be obtained.

(b) If the parent or paronrs of .a child' are nof fit an+J prOperpersons to have the care and custody of'such child, the Districr.Officermay dispense with the consent of'such parent or parents,

,[An . CoF. rl I1Aii,J

(5} It -qha11 o-.e the,duEy ot'the Distrjct'Officer bef,ore regis,rering,an adoption by a person rvho prof'essesthe isiamic faith to Jrar" thlspec,ifi'c attenti,on of such person ro .*.lion 2(2), .and to in,foim 6i,m incieaf and trcnistakabie:terms ttrat:ther,arloptiil;i iiritatrn on suc-h abasis,'is:conkqry t0, tlie lslamic taw,

Provided thar no adoption shall bc invalid by reason oniy of theDistrict officer failing to comply wi,th the provisions

-of this

subsection.

Crl'P.91 (I?58, ED-J

Registration

4.-(1) lhe District Officer, if satisfied that the provisions ofsections 3 ancl 5 have been cor:iplied with and on paln:ent of theprescribed f'ee, shali regisrer such adoption in a s.pecial register tc be

kept t-itr that purpose.

(2) Such registration shall be eil-ected, in the presence of theadopting parcnts or parent and, unless their presence or consent has

been dispensed rvith under seEtion 3(3)'or {4), of the nafural parents orparent ol gpar<lian. The persons present shatl affix their signatures ormarks to the entry.

(3) Tire District Officer shall'issue a certificate of adoption .under his irand and seal to the adopting parents or, parent, ancl to theaa!$aJ. parc:nts or parent or guardian.

(4) (") No r,rariation, amendment or alteration shall be macie

tc the special reglster or ts a cenificate,.of adoption in respegt ol ttre,

registfati'on of any'adoption except in accordance u'ith an Order made

by a Juclge of the liigh Court to rectify or correct any mistalce or errotr

found in the special register or in the certificate of adoption.

(bj An appiication for an Order under paragraph (aF

(i) may be made by the District Ollicer u,ho registsrs theadoption or issues the certificate gr by an-y person named in the

ce,rtificate,, as the natwal parents, Ot adqptin$ parents' br gqardianof the child; and

(ii) shall bn,by way of,originatin$ surypoils tb a Judge inChambers and the Rules of the tligh Court relating to applicationby oiiginating sunrmons shall apply thereto.

(5) The Distrist OffiC.€r may; upon being satisfied by evidence

glven b'y way of: any stafutory deslaration, b1' an' applicagt, that B

certifieatg of adoption lssued by,hirn'under subsection (3I has beelr

los-t, defacecl or damagedi issue a duplicate thereof to the applicant

up on, papnent,of the presc.ribed ts-es.

[r4'm,, C,ap, 41,0CI,,J

ri

:ir

iir'i

it:izl

,tj:{

:lli

ADOPTION

Conditions of valid adoption

5.-{l) F{o adoption in Sararvak shail be registered unless an

application 'is made for sucfr registration in accurdance rvith theprocedure set out in section .3, and the District,Offieer is satisfieii byer.idence upon oath or othenvisc-

{a) that the child is' born in Safarvak and has Sararvak

connection;

{b) subject to subseirfion (2), that at least one of theadopting, parents has Saraw ak conrlection;

{.) that the adopting parent or, if there be ti,vo, each of theadopting parents is a fit and proper person to have the care and

custody of the chiid;,

{,4 that the adopting parent or parents has or have adequate

means.and abilities to maintain thc adoptcd child acccrding to rhe

social stalus t:f the, adopting par€nt or par€nts untitr the 'childreac.hes the age of eighteen y-ears or is able to support himself,whichever is the iater;

t") if there be trvo adopting parents, that tirey are legallymarried to,one anoJherb,y oustom or otftenv,ise;

tfl that where a female child is to be adopted, there shallbetwo adopting parents who are,Iegally maqried to each othef and

that female: child shall :not be. adopted by a rnale adopting par.ent

unless'there are exceptionai or special circurnstances;

(g) that the adopting p-arent, or, if: the adoptioh is ioint,each, oi.tfre.adop:ting parents, is over lhe, age of'tw'errry:one ]aears'i

and is at Jeast fwenty:6ne years olde'r than the child to be adopted;'

{h} that if the adoption is made in accordance rvith the

sustom,or custornary lary,of either the naFural parents;or adapting

pare, rts or guardi'an, such eustom or sustornary: Iaw 'pennits the

adoption of the child and that all' procedures and requiranentsttrereof have'been duly fbllorved and complied withi and

t

c4P.91 (t958 ED,)

. t{ that the adoptign,would nor cantrave.n. the provisionsof the isiarnic Famiiy Larl, Ordinance. ?001 [Cap. aSJ

I

{2) where both thc adopting, parents have no s,ara,"vak !

connection, the, adoption of the child shail not be eftbcted and jregistered unless-

{a) if borh or any one of fie adopting parents aue cirizensar is a citizen ot'another country, a cenifica-te"is obtained: frorn acompetent authority in the High comrnission or Embassy of thatcountry in fuIalaysia, stating that rhe High com:nission orEmbasslr is aware:that tire adopring parent ol parents intends orintend to adopt the chitd ahcl the adopting parents ar€ able tofurnish evidence that the chiid would, upJn- being alopted, bepermincd entry into that country: or

!b) if both or anJ{ one of the adopting parents are or is,residing in any other part of &Iaiaysiao er,,idence is rurnished to theDistrict officer of their or his residential address outsicleSara\,t,ak.

fSrr&, Cap. "41,'0().J

Further. adoption of an:adoptecl chil<I

" .6-i {I,) \vhere a child i.r,'iro ihad been :adopte<l ,in accorclanse -

rvith this ordinance; is to'be adopted again, sections,3, 4 and 5 shallapply, and that fcr the pulposes of the further adoption, the atloptingparents at the time of such adoption shall be in the sarne position oi,r-oie as that of the, nalural parents and those vi,hose consent must be ,

obtained'in the, rnarurer set'out'ih seqtion,3.{2), {3 }, or (,4}.

i2) upon the adoption ofi an arloptg child under: ,sgbsection(1F

t") th-.:. c^ ild shall cease to, ',be the adoptecl child of rheprevious adopting parents and shall have no ciiim to inhenrailceof the propetry of the previous adapting pments; and

ti I

t

t

ADOPTION

(b) the csrtificaie of adoption pr.el'iously issued for thatchild shall be cancelled before & nerv eertifica,te of adoptiop isissued for hirn.

(3') Nothing hetein shall authsrize 'fie re-adoplion 'of a chiici byhis nitural parent,or:parents.

[Suh. Crp. .4 ] 0{).J

'Offen ces and penalties

6;\. Any person who-

{o) makes any statement or particular which is false or iscalculated to deceive in an application or other docurnentsubmitted to the Disfict Officer vvith intbnt tCI procure theregistration of an:adoption under this Ordinance; or

{b) u,lithout tart'ful authority alterS or changes or remo.v'es

aqy eniry or par,ticular or mattet in'the special register kept undersection 4(1) or pursuant to regulations made under seclion 12; or

(") alters, changes or remo!'es any particular in a certificateofadoption or,destroyq or.de{acgs such partic'ulali or

V+ ,without reasonable' causg,, retains or has in hispoSsession, a certilicats which is not issuerl to hiq by the DistrjctOfficer under section 4(3) or i5),

Shall, o-e guilty of an offence: F:enalty, a tjne rlOt e*ceeding tlvethousand 6n:ggit or imprisonment for a term not exceeding eighteenmonths or both.

ffns,, *or- AJAA',J

Information on adoption

68.-(1) The District Officer rnay by no:tice in wfiting reQuest

eny person ta furnish him within such period as may be stipulated inthe notice, with infonnation conceming the farnilv background,natio-nalify, ocCupa n, .he-alth, accoryqrsdation and other reietantparticular5 c,oncerning the nalural parent or adopting parent or

IO C,lP.,9l'(1955 ED.l

guardian, 0r the place of birJh, natjonalit;1, heahh, Bge, weltare andother particuiars concerning a child to be aiopted.

'o-7

tZ) Any person r','ho rvithout reas-nable causg fails [o complyrvith a notice issued by- ihe Disrrier, Officer underuuur*riin* il ),';;who u'ilfully, prevents. obstructs or detal's any,person w-ho receivessueh notice ftom eompliance therervith shall be guilry of an ot1tence:Fenalf-v', a fine not exceeding two thousarrd ring;it jr impnsCInmenrfor a term not exceeding one year or both.

!

$ns C:qp- Al00]

When adoption ma.v be annulied?.i"-"{1) No arloption shall be annulierJ excepr by. order of the

High Court.

(2) The High Court may on application made, by way oftiriginating motion, by. the Siate Attorney Geaeral or *y p*.roonalned in a certificate issued under section 4 as the natural parent oradr:pting parent,or euardian or child annul an adoption if after hearingsuch evidence as it considersrneeessary it is of the opinion:--

. !"t . ihat the adopred child is being heated in such a way bytire adopting parents that the health of such chiid is being injuieO;

(r) that the adopting parentp pre unfit to ha.vs, the-, care ancicuSl0d1,,,,o f the chi ld;

(cl th,at'iu 8I1, the circrmstances of the casq it is in theinterests of the nhiki,that the adoption sirould bs,annulled;,

i (4 that the,'regpstration gf the ad6ptio& w:as procu5qd byfraud or nrisiepresentation on the pafi of any of the persoilsnamed in the cefiificate,as the natural parent or adopting parent orguardian of the child; or

(e) thar the adoptedr child, ivho is stiil a rnino4 has beenabandoned by his adopting parents or parent or the whereaboutsof si.lch a child are unlqoujn.

;{,4m,, Cap,, AJ 00.J

ADOPTION ti

t3) If'an adoptior.r is aqr-ruiled by the Cour"t t[e rignts of the

adopted chjld and the acloptin$ palents under section 2 are

extinguished and the ehild ,resurneshis, original legal.slalus as the,child

of hi.s nalural parents.

Interest of child' paramo unt

8. \ftere there is any qUestion rvhethef lhe,, adop.tion of any

child, should be. effected or qnnutled'the interests of such child shall,be

the paramount consideration,

Adoption cffected outside Sarawak

9-., ,(l) Nothing in this Orrlinance shali,compel'the registfationof an adoption effected sutside Sararvak by perso,ns,with. Sararvak

connedtion:

Provided that a Higlir Court fruy, on the. application by way ofOri$inating.summons, by an interesged parent. direct the registration of'

such adoPti'on' [,4nt- cap,,Al,ao,,J

{2}, Th.E Disfict Officer shall r€glster any adoption effected

outside':S'arawak according to the,law o,f the,.country.in Which: i:t was

effeeted on the'application of either of''ths adopting parenfs:

Provide,J that he may refuse to reglster such adoption if the

eonditions required by: section 5, are not,satisfiEd,

Fawer tO provide for.certain,extraordinar-r" torns of adoptiOn,

10.-i t )' The hlajlis lv{esyuarat Kerajaan Negeri nlay make

rutre$=-

(oi to regplate the adoption of childrerr according tCI

Chinesb: custorn by heads gf Chine,se families fOr ih9 p,urpose ofpr.ovidipg:,he:irs: or succeqso,fs fOr, tlt€.,,d.eceas$ m€ryrb'ers of, suqh

farniiies; an.d-

(,e) to regulate the *dop1i6n o'f:Adults,amc'Rg,taseS, in w.hich

such adoptiohs',are recogniZed by Custom,

[A.m,' Ord', I/7 6;, Am, CaP,. A.2 8J,

I2 CitP. 9I (!;9s9,' .dD);

. (?): . Linless otlreqwtise Stared in,rules fiade.,under this: s.eciiofl,the p-rovisions of this orclinanee .qhall nor apply in, resp*.r .ittaopri#ettbcted in accordance:.with such rules:

Provided that any, such rules r*a), appl). the r,thcrle or any part 0fihis Orclinan$e, to,such aciopiions.

Savihg

11. Nothing in this Ordinance shall aff-eet ther,valiiliqv or legaleffect of an adoption registere<i prior to the coming into operation bfthis Ordinance.

R€gulations.

tZ, The lV{,ajJis }vtresyuarat ,Ke:ajaa4 N.egpn may makeregulations genera-lly'for the pu4ro.se of

"urnnng ouitn",prorririoos of

ftis,Ordirr*ance and, in particular, such regulations may piovide for -

*(o) ,the establishrnent'of a Central Registr,y;

(6) fom, ofieglsters to be.kepg

k'} :the issue of ceftifr-ed,extra;ctp of grrtfies:in registgrs andth e'erni d cnti at v alue, thereoe, an.d

id} the fees :tor bs charged, under thir ordinance includjngth e s1 gleration;, sf ai1). le es Sji e ci fi ed in, thi s Ordinaricb.

[.4n- OrrJ, ifro. |9/7$: Arn. Cap. A]S,"J''

+ se;l Arlrrplion{eerural hqgistrvi nee?ia1io.ns.I96p lG,iifs zWt,g,end 6.rr\',,i !3l/ltal.

DICFf.AX OIF}I PERCET.,1Ki.\ I$ASIOA*AL tvtAJ.,ryslA BERII\D, KUCPING. SA.q"AWAKBAGI Plllatt O44 0e.ic*x,duASA reiilN--tL{ KEP.AJA4+' Si{p"A!(AK