Indonesia says adoption of 18 children in S'pore illegal, considers bringing them back
Eight adoption cases remain pending in Singapore.
Indonesia has deemed the adoption of 18 Indonesian children in Singapore illegal, citing non-compliance with its adoption regulations. The country's Ministry of Social Affairs disclosed that the children were connected to a trafficking ring identified by West Java police in 2025, as reported by Antara on November 5. While some children have gained Singapore citizenship, proceedings for eight others remain under scrutiny.
The Ministry's child social rehabilitation director, Kahono Agung Suhartoyo, informed Antara that Singapore had sought clarification regarding the eight pending adoption cases, deeming them illegal due to non-compliance with Indonesian requirements. Indonesian law mandates that international adoptions pass through the Child Adoption Advisory Team, comprising representatives from the police, foreign affairs, social affairs ministries, and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI).
Prospective adoptive parents must fulfill specific criteria, such as residing in Indonesia for at least two years, being under 55, and passing physical and psychological evaluations. Suhartoyo criticized the adoption procedures as legally flawed, pointing to a court ruling involving the syndicate in Bandung. Indonesian authorities are exploring options with Singapore, including the possibility of repatriating the children.
The Social Affairs Ministry is prepared to offer protection and rehabilitation services if the children return to Indonesia. Information from KPAI suggests the children originated from families in West Java, but their identity documents were falsified to indicate they were from West Kalimantan. Suhartoyo emphasized that the ministry is working to identify the biological parents of the children before deciding on their reintegration with their families.
Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Social and Family Development stated on January 9 that they were collaborating with Indonesian authorities to investigate allegations of trafficking infants into Singapore for adoption. The ministries also mentioned that the ongoing investigations have delayed some citizenship applications for the children.
Both Singaporean authorities and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) have been engaging with the affected adoptive parents to clarify the situation and ensure the children's welfare and interests are protected.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
