SINGAPORE, Jan 22 (Bernama) — Muslims in Singapore will become organ donors automatically when the amendment to the republic’s Human Organ Transplant Act (Hota) takes effect from August.
The amendment, which was passed by the Parliament yesterday, however, allowed them to opt out if they wanted to.
With the amendment, Muslims would automatically donate their organs such as kidney, liver, heart and cornea upon death.
To explain the new provision to the Hota, which was enacted 20 years ago, some 300,000 information kits would be distributed to Muslim citizens and permanent residents aged 12 to 60 years, next month.
At the moment, there were 16,000 Singapore Muslims who pledged to donate their organs upon death.
The amendment also empowers the island state’s Health Ministry to investigate offences relating to blood and organ trading. Previously, only the police have the power to investigate such cases.