The government today said it will ban the creation of "designer babies" except for medical reasons as it fears the selection method may disrupt the ratio of males and females in the country.

Health Minister Chua Soi Lek said the ban would be contained in a new law now being drafted which would be announced by the end of the year.

"According to the guidelines being drafted, sex selection for social reasons is not permitted," he was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.

"Sex selection is, however, allowed if a particular sex predisposes a serious genetic condition."

Controversy over designer babies erupted last week after a private hospital announced that Malaysia's first designer baby was born in December 2004 using the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis method.

The technique allows parents to avoid the transmission of genetic defects to their offspring but can also be used to select the sex of a child.

Disputed method

Chua said the disputed method would cause a negative effect in the long run where the number of males would greatly outnumber the females.

The accepted ratio between male and female in Malaysia is 105:100, he said, adding that the ratio could increase to 120:100 if parents are allowed to choose their babies' gender.

"We are not against infertile couples seeking medical treatment to have babies but they should not choose the sex," Chua said.

Religious groups and the medical association in Malaysia had voiced their opposition to designer babies.

"If used for trival reasons such as to determine sex, eye or skin colour, and musical or athletic ability, it should be condemned in no uncertain terms," said Teoh Siang Chin, president of the Malaysian Medical Association.