Published: Monday June 11, 2012 MYT 5:46:00 PM

NCWO: Buying a baby for adoption is trafficking

ALOR SETAR: The act of buying a baby for adoption is part of human trafficking offences, the National Council of Women Organisations (NCWO) president Datuk Faridah Khalid said. "Whoever sells, buys or becomes a middleman in the baby-buying transaction can be arrested because it is an offence under the Anti-Trafficking or Persons Act," she said at the state-level workshop on anti-trafficking of persons here. She said the right channel to adopt a child was through the Social Welfare Department.

Meanwhile, Faridah said through the cooperation of the Education Ministry, counseling teachers were also being trained to improve their knowledge in the issue of human trafficking. "So far, all schools in Johor, Kelantan, Kedah, Penang and Perlis have well-trained counseling teachers who can give a talk to increase awareness about human trafficking offences among the students," she said.

On the human-trafficking cases, Faridah said between 2008 and March this year, 412 cases had been charged in court, while 247 were undergoing trials. Cases solved were 64, convicted 78 and discharged not amounting to an acquittal 23. - Bernama

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