Touched by interfaith adoption, Hamzah to look into stateless case

Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin has asked his officers to look into the case of Rohana Abdullah, who was abandoned as a two-month-old baby at a kindergarten 22 years ago after her Indonesian mother returned to her country.

Rohana was raised by kindergarten teacher Chee Hoi Lan who brought her up according to the practices of the Muslim faith, but she has yet to get the requisite documentation to establish her citizenship.

"I was touched when I was informed of this case last week.

"I have instructed my officers to investigate the validity of the information provided first before making any decision," said Hamzah in a brief Facebook post this morning.

Chee who is now 83 had been a kindergarten teacher where Rohana’s mother worked as a cleaner. The Indonesian woman was reportedly married to a Malaysian man who disappeared soon after the birth of the child in 1999.

The distraught mother left her baby at the kindergarten and the child has been raised by Chee ever since.

According to a news report by Harian Metro, Chee said she did her best to provide for all of Rohana’s needs including sending her for religious lessons, learning the basics of Islam and eating only halal food.

Chee, who is unmarried, said she was happy to raise Rohana in her own faith and she does hope to see her married one day.

However, because of the abandonment, Rohana is facing problems obtaining citizenship.

She said she had applied for citizenship status in 2016 and until now there has been no response.