AFTER being in and out of foster care since they were two and three, Amirul (9 years old) and Amizan (10) can finally start a new chapter in their lives, thanks to Home Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi.

Children rights activist Dr Hartini Zainudin, who wrote a letter to The Malaysian Insight, said the boys’ new American-Mexican Muslim convert parents will finally be able to bring them over to the United States.

The two children ran into difficulties when their foster process was put on hold by the Welfare Department (JKM) due to legal issues. 

The American-Mexican couple had sought to foster the two kids before taking them to Texas, to begin the adoption process. This was where Zahid’s help was needed.

“He (Zahid) was very sweet, and he asked us about the case and went through the whole thing with us personally.

“We explained that this is the only route for them to go over to the US and be adopted, and he signed the foster papers without a second thought,” Hartini told The Malaysian Insight.

Hartini, who is the children’s spokesman, said their birth certificates registered them as stateless because both their parents are missing. Permiting the American parents to legally foster them from Malaysia allows them to get travel papers from the US so that the children can be brought into America, she added.

The problem began after Orphancare helped identify an American-Mexican Muslim convert couple who were working in Malaysia and were willing to adopt the two boys. Their adoption was, however, put on hold after a series of legal problems.

The last hurdle was a set of JKM requirements for the foster parents to adhere to, which they could not without a letter of approval from JKM to take the boys to America.

Zahid, who is also the home minister, approved the foster papers after meeting with Hartini and the two children today.

“We wanted the new parents to apply fostership for the children and so they can leave and travel to the US to go through the proper adoption process.

“The whole process guarantees that the children will be monitored and that they would be raised as Muslim children, because the parents are (Muslim) converts.

“We assured Zahid that the parents will send us monthly and quarterly reports,” said Hartini.

She also said that the couple will be coming to Malaysia soon to complete the fostering process.

“The couple in America will come back and get them and there is going to be this whole thing where the papers and all are going to be written up.

“So we are very happy, very, very, very happy for the boys. It has been two years.

“And we are not asking for citizenship to allow the kids to get fostered. Citizenship will be taken care of in America.

“So right now the parents are coming back to Malaysia to go through the process of fostering them, and pick up the boys,” said Hartini.

She added that she is thankful to The Malaysian Insight and everyone for highlighting the issue in the media.

“The open letter to TMI has also helped make the issue viral and brought it to light, we are grateful to everyone who helped,” she said. – November 10, 2017.