t

ffiw$ ffiF $eR&w'&ffi

R*PRINT

-'ff #p$er g?
{'.E'S$m' tdfiff,w:xa}

ffiffiffiffi..
'''..'''
Incorporating all srnendments up fo 3i sl December, 2008

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
W
LA}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

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

Anending [a*,, Sh'ort T{rtre Infoycefram

Ord. No. 9/76 The Sara*nk Constitution 18th December., J976

(Ainendment) (No.,2)

Cap, A?8 Interpre tation iAmendrnen 1) ?9rth fuiay:; 1995

Ord.inance, l99t

Cap..,t100 Adoption (Amendment) L st December. ?002

Ordinance.200?
 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 the

adap$ttn at children'
j st Jan*alt., tg4z]
Shsrt,title
1. This Ordinance mali be cited as the Adoption Ordinaace,

Interpretation
I-+. ln this,Oidinance

"adop-ting parentl' means aiperson who adopts, or intends to

adopt a childi in accordance'lvith this Otdinance;
o'cerrifica,t0"
fieans ,a certificate of adoptio4 issued under
section 4{3} or a duplicate thereof issued under,section 4(5);

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

yrears;

"gqar.dianl' means a guardian appointerJ by a court of,

conapetent jurisdi0ffin ,o:r in acco-rdanee with 4 of 5 ff fie,'
'section
, Guardianshi; of'Infant$ :Ordinance /f*p . gi 3 ( t'ii S E d.SI ;
'*niitual persnt' ms''44g, thb;'biol"ogieal father or rnolhef af a
child, 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
cJF.9l {tgss fD.J

(b) is permanently residing in Sarawak; or

{c) is dorniciled in Sararvak,

[ {|ts,, Cdp. i{ I 0#.}
Adoption of children
2._-*( 1) Subject to this Orclinsnce any'personmay adopt a child,

(2) Such adopted cllild shall sta.nd in the sams,relation to'the

adopting parent or parents as would a child bom in wedlock and shall
have 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 no

control- 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 thg
adbption,is arur*ulled under section' 7.

Procedure on adoption
3,..-{1)(ai An application for rggi,stration of an adoption,of a child
shall bernade in sueh, for-m as,may: be,piescribed by the State Secfetary
and subminerl, to the District'Officer for the District rlhere any of the
natural parents or adopting parents or guartiia{,r resides,, together rvith
all docurnentqry and other ev-idence necessary' tb satisfy the,, Distfict
Offi: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 medical
practitioner or a doctor in a Govemment h$spital,,dn,'the hgalth.of
ihe child; or
(ii) request thb D-,irectbr of the :Sfate, Welfare Dep'aftment to
examine the, child or interview the natural parent.or adopting
parent or guardian, and subrnit to him a repofi on the r,velfare, of
the child or the, social, financial and personal background of the
natural parentS,, or arlop'ting parents or gpardian based upon :such
ex amination or inteliew,
 AIJOPI'ION

!o enable hinr tp deten:rine wheiher the aciopiion rveuld be in the

paramount inreresl of fhe child,

(") \\"here the District Officer is satisfied iron: the iriflrnnatian

disclosed in rire application ibglr ancl dre docunieiltary and oiher
evidence subinitted. by the natural p-arents and adoptirig parents or
guardian, and the report, if an,v, produced or made available uniier,
paragreph (a), rhat the conditions for a valjcl adoption have been
fulfilled, 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 or
guardian and their ,"vitnesses appear before rhe Districf otfi.*r, he
shall record thcir presence anri their unequivocal consent in rvriting to
lhe adoption.

(3) The District officer, it- full,v satisiied by documenrary

evidenee,ihrt th,a adoption is bona .fidg and the chiid is born in
i
I , Sararvak and has Sarar.vak connection, rnay'dispense with tire personal
I
attendance of, the natural parent5, ss,por€nt or, guaidian of the,,child,
providetl tlrat ihe adopting-parents siratt funiishfo the District Ofijcer
a stafutor)- declaration voluntar.ily made by the natur parcnts oT
parent or ggardian, thar their consenr has been freei1,
t"; for ihe
adoption of the,child,
(4) (n) lYhere a married person adopts a ctrild, the consent of
both the adopting tarher and mother must be obtained.
(b) If the parent or paronrs of .a child' are nof fit an+J prOper
persons to have the care and custody of'such child, the Districr.Officer
may 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" thl
spec,ifi'c attenti,on of such person ro .*.lion 2(2), .and to in,foim 6i,m in
cieaf and trcnistakabie:terms ttrat:ther,arloptiil;i iiritatrn on suc-h a
basis,'is:conkqry t0, tlie lslamic taw,

Provided thar no adoption shall bc invalid by reason oniy of the

-of
District officer failing to comply wi,th the provisions this
subsection.
 Crl'P.91 (I?58, ED-J

Registration
4.-(1) lhe District Officer, if satisfied that the provisions of ri

sections 3 ancl 5 have been cor:iplied with and on paln:ent of the

prescribed 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 the
:ir

adopting parcnts or parent and, unless their presence or consent has

been dispensed rvith under seEtion 3(3)'or {4), of the nafural parents or
parent ol gpar<lian. The persons present shatl affix their signatures or
marks 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 the
aa!$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 the
adoption or issues the certificate gr by an-y person named in the
ce,rtificate,, as the natwal parents, Ot adqptin$ parents' br gqardian
of the child; and

(ii) shall bn,by way of,originatin$ surypoils tb a Judge in ii

r'i

Chambers and the Rules of the tligh Court relating to application

it
by oiiginating sunrmons shall apply thereto. :i
zl

(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

 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 the
procedure set out in section .3, and the District,Offieer is satisfieii by
er.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 the

adopting, parents has Saraw ak conrlection;

{.) that the adopting parent or, if there be ti,vo, each of the
adopting 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 'child
reac.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 legally

married to,one anoJherb,y oustom or otftenv,ise;

tfl that where a female child is to be adopted, there shall

betwo adopting parents who are,Iegally maqried to each othef and
that female: child shall :not be. adopted by a rnale adopting par.ent
,t unless'there are exceptionai or special circurnstances;
j
:{ (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
:l
li

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 t

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 requiranents
ttrereof have'been duly fbllorved and complied withi and
 c4P.91 (t958 ED,)

. t{
that the adoptign,would nor cantrave.n. the provisions
I
of the isiarnic Famiiy Larl, Ordinance. ?001
[Cap. aSJ
{2) where both thc adopting, parents have no s,ara,"vak !

connection, the, adoption

of the child shail not be eftbcted and j
registered unless-

{a) if
borh or any one of fie adopting parents aue cirizens
ar is a citizen ot'another country, a cenifica-te"is obtained: frorn a
competent authority in the High comrnission or Embassy of that
country in
fuIalaysia, stating that rhe High com:nission or
Embasslr is aware:that tire adopring parent ol parents intends or
intend to adopt the chitd ahcl the adopting parents ar€ able to
furnish evidence that the chiid would, upJn- being alopted, be
permincd 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 the
District officer of their or his residential address outsicle
Sara\,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 - ti t
I

rvith this ordinance; is to'be adopted again, sections,3, 4 and 5 shall

apply, and that fcr the pulposes of the further adoption, the atlopting
parents 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 rhe
previous adopting parents and shall have no ciiim to inhenrailce
of the propetry of the previous adapting pments; and
 t

ADOPTION

(b) the csrtificaie of adoption pr.el'iously issued for that

child shall be cancelled before & nerv eertifica,te of adoptiop is
issued for hirn.

(3') Nothing hetein shall authsrize 'fie re-adoplion 'of a chiici by

his 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 is
calculated to deceive in an application or other docurnent
submitted to the Disfict Officer vvith intbnt tCI procure the
registration 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 under
section 4(1) or pursuant to regulations made under seclion 12; or

(") alters, changes or remo!'es any particular in a certificate

ofadoption or,destroyq or.de{acgs such partic'ulali or

V+ ,without reasonable' causg,, retains or has in his

poSsession, a certilicats which is not issuerl to hiq by the Distrjct
Officer under section 4(3) or i5),

guilty of an offence: F:enalty, a tjne rlOt e*ceeding tlve

Shall, o-e
thousand 6n:ggit or imprisonment for a term not exceeding eighteen
months 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 in
the notice, with infonnation conceming the farnilv background,
natio-nalify, ocCupa n, .he-alth, accoryqrsdation and other reietant
particular5 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,

'o-7 weltare and
other particuiars concerning a child to be aiopted.

tZ) Any person r','ho rvithout reas-nable causg fails [o comply

rvith a notice issued by- ihe Disrrier, Officer underuuur*riin*
il ),';;
who u'ilfully, prevents. obstructs or detal's any,person w-ho receives
sueh notice ftom eompliance therervith shall be guilry of an ot1tence:
Fenalf-v', a fine not exceeding two thousarrd ring;it jr impnsCInmenr
!
for 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 of
tiriginating motion, by. the Siate Attorney Geaeral or *y p*.roo
nalned in a certificate issued under section 4 as the natural parent or
adr:pting parent,or euardian or child annul an adoption if after hearing
such evidence as it considersrneeessary it is of the opinion:--

. !"t . ihat the adopred child is being heated in such a way by

tire adopting parents that the health of such chiid is being injuieO;

(r) that the adopting parentp pre unfit to ha.vs, the-, care anci
cuSl0d1,,,,o f the chi ld;
(cl th,at'iu 8I1, the circrmstances of the casq it is in the
interests of the nhiki,that the adoption sirould bs,annulled;,

ifraud(4 that the,'regpstration gf the ad6ptio& w:as procu5qd by

or nrisiepresentation on the pafi of any of the persoils
named in the cefiificate,as the natural parent or adopting parent or
guardian of the child; or

(e)
thar the adoptedr child, ivho is stiil a rnino4 has been
abandoned by his adopting parents or parent or the whereabouts
of 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 registfation
of an adoption effected sutside Sararvak by perso,ns,with. Sararvak
connedtion:

Provided that a Higlir Court fruy, on the. application by way of

Ori$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 of

pr.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
.the p-rovisions this: s.eciiofl,
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 0f
ihis Orclinan$e, to,such aciopiions.

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

R€gulations.
tZ,The lV{,ajJis }vtresyuarat ,Ke:ajaa4 N.egpn may make
regulations genera-lly'for the pu4ro.se of ouitn",prorririoos of
"urnnng
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 and
th e'erni d cnti at v alue, thereoe, an.d

id} the fees :tor bs charged, under thir ordinance includjng

th 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"AWAK

BAGI Plllatt O44 0e.ic*x,duASA reiilN--tL{ KEP.AJA4+' Si{p"A!(AK