CHILDREN BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK (Registration)

Mr Ivan Baptist asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education if he will consider permitting children born out of wedlock to bear the fathers' name when they are registered at birth, with the written consent of both the parents.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Sir, under section 10(1) of the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, it is provided that the surname to be entered in the birth certificate to be issued to a child born in Singapore shall ordinarily be the surname of the father of the child if the child is legitimate. If the child is illegitimate. then either the surname of the mother or both the surnames of the mother and the father, who consented to the use of his surname, will be entered in that child's birth certificate.

Section 15(1) of the Third Schedule of Part Ill of the Singapore Constitution provides that the citizenship status of an illegitimate child shall follow that of the mother. If illegitimate children are registered at birth bearing the surname of the purported father there can be abuse in cases where the mothers are not Singapore citizens. In such cases. citizenship can be acquired for the illegitimate children by arranging for Singapore citizens to claim fatherhood for these children.

In cases where the mother of the illegitimate child is already a Singapore citizen, there is no risk of abuse and we can allow such illegitimate children to be registered under the father's surname by consent of both the mother and father. Action will be taken to amend the Registration of Births and Deaths Act accordingly.

Mr Ivan Baptist (Potong Pasir): Sir, does the Hon. Minister realise that when the father's name is not included in the birth certificate of the child there is a possibility of contracting consanguineous marriages due to lack of information? How does the Minister plan to solve this very grave problem as at the present moment exists?

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, there is such a possibility, but it is a remote possibility.