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| Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad |
Babies swapped at birth need to take biological father’s name after truth unfolds - Kelantan Mufti
BERNAMA
KUALA LUMPUR, 28 Jun -- Babies who are accidentally swapped at birth and raised by parents who are not their biological parents should take the name of their biological father after the truth is known to avoid complications in future, especially in terms of inheritance.
This also goes for adopted children, said Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohamad Shukri Mohamad.
He said the reason being that, in Islamic law, only the biological children have inheritance right to their parents’ property.
“Indeed, it is compulsory for a child to take the name of his/her biological father, The child cannot simply take the name of his/her adopted father. It is ‘haram’ if done intentionally, but in the case of babies who are accidentally swapped at birth, InsyaAllah, God forgives.
“But in terms of the National Registration Department (NRD), if the law says the father’s name cannot be changed, it is alright, but it should be recorded that that the child is adopted.
"Otherwise, the child can claim for the property in court ,” he told Bernama when contacted.
Mohamad Shukri said this in response to a Bernama report on a twin sister who was swapped with another child at birth and how tragic it was for the three girls and the two affected families after they found out the truth 19 years later.
The truth was unfolded last year following a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test conducted in September last year.
Mohamad Shukri said it is not an offence for the children who were swapped at birth to continue to stay with the family that had raised them because they have been regarded a member of the family, being a milk sibling.
On the DNA test, Mohamad Shukri said it could be accepted as a mechanisms to determine “nasab” (lineage) between the child and father.
Meanwhile, Universiti Putra Malaysia Human Genetics Specialist, Associate Professor Dr Thilakavathy Karuppiah said a child would have 50 per cent of the mother's DNA and 50 per cent of the father's DNA.
“In fact, each individual has a different DNA profile, except for identical twins,” she said, adding that a DNA test results of between 96 per cent and 99.99 per cent cannot be disputed.
“When a result is disputed, it does not mean the result is negative . The higher the percentage, the more likely it is that the individuals tested have kinship ties, ” she said.
Father falls sick after knowing I'm not his biological daughter - Noratirah
This is part two of four series on babies swapped at birth
KUALA LUMPUR, June 28 -- A mistake, allegedly by staff of a hospital in Kota Bharu, Kelantan, in placing the name tags on two newborn babies, one of them a twin, 20 years ago, led the children being unknowingly raised by parents who are not their biological parents and taking the name of another man as their father.
The truth of what transpired came to light 19 years later, following a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) test conducted in September last year.
The emotional impact of knowing the truth was too much for the two families to bear. It was heart wrenching for all of them, and for Noratirah, it was worst for the father she knew, Husin Omar, 64, too shock with the result of the DNA test which confirmed he was not her biological father, died due to a heart attack two months later.
She said the “test” was too heavy for him to endure after hardly two years of losing his wife, Rahmah Isa, who died in 2018 due to diabetes.
Noratirah is the twin sister of Adryani Iwani who was swapped at birth with Adryana Iwani.
For 19 years, Adryani Iwani and Adryana Iwani have been living together as non-identical twins, not realising that they were not even biological siblings.
Adryani began having the impression that she and Noratirah are related after they discovered there are too many mutual likeness between them and decided to go for DNA test.
After discussing the matter with their families, they went to do the test in September last year. Blood samples from Adrayani’s mother, Siti Aminah Ismail, 66, and Husin were also taken for analysis and the result revealed that Noratirah and Adrayani are 99.99 per cent twin sisters.
“I had already expected the DNA result because of the many similarities I share with Adryani Iwani,” said Noratirah, adding that she was informed the result of the DNA test by her birth mother (Siti Aminah).
“She called me and I put the phone on loud speaker so that my father (Husin) and other siblings can hear. My father broke down and cried after hearing it and then complained of chest pain,” she said, adding her father changed into a different person and was very quiet and kept to himself after that.
Prior to his death, Noratirah said Husin also told her that he was sad to not having the opportunity to meet her biological father, Ibeni Yanin Mohd Salleh, who died in 2009.
Noratirah, who is taking a Diploma in Early Child Education at the Kota Bharu branch of Kolej Poly-Tech, said she has moved in to stay with her birth mother.
“However, I still maintain ties with my siblings from my father Husin’s side, and when possible we get together at our father’s house,” she said, adding that all of Husin’s children are married and have their own families.
Meanwhile, Adryani Iwani Ibeni Yanin said her mother (Siti Aminah) also broke down after knowing that Adryana Iwani is not her biological daughter.
“She was also worried that the truth would hurt Ana (nickname for Ardyana Iwani) and called me to her room to inform the matter. She also told me to not tell about the result of the DNA test to Ana then,” she said.
As for Adryana Iwani, she said she was sad to only get to know her biological father for two months.
“When I first met him, I had mixed feelings, happy to be able to meet my biological father, and also afraid that he could not accept me.
“I am indeed sad to know that I belong to another family after living for 19 years. What saddens me more is not being able to meet my birth mother. We suffer because of other people’s mistake,” said the UiTM graduate.
