Fifteen Malaysian Parents Fined for Identity Fraud in Adoption Cases

Fifteen Malaysian parents were fined after admitting to providing false information to the government regarding the identities of their adopted children when applying for birth certificates and national identification cards over the past two decades. The parents, aged between 50 and 70, faced a total of 18 charges in Kuala Lumpur courts, with some receiving additional penalties for using falsified documents to register for MyKad identification cards. The fines ranged from RM800 to RM3,500, depending on the offense, under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 and the National Registration Regulations. Authorities now require these parents to obtain accurate birth information for the children before continuing with legal adoption and citizenship applications. The cases highlight the legal consequences of furnishing false information in official documents and underscore the importance of accurate identity records in Malaysia.