Darren (left) and Chambai at the press conference. – Photo by Florence Nervyn
SIBU (June 10): Sarawak Dayak National Union (SDNU) Sibu is urging National Registration Department (NRD) to expedite approval of Darren Imba Vincenzo’s application for late issuance of MyKad to enable him to renew his international passport so can he can be reunited with his adoptive parents in Australia.
SDNU Sibu chairman Chambai Lindong said the department should cut the red tape and excessive bureaucracy in dealing with the application because Darren’s case was not an ordinary case.
He said Darren had been stranded in Sibu since March 2020 after he, his younger brother Alfonso Jugah,16, and their adoptive mother Alice Badak followed their adoptive father Vincenzo Iannucci who was on a business trip to the country.
Kapit-born Darren and Alfonso were adopted in 2014 by Alice who is their grandmother after she married Vincenzo, an Australian, in 2013.
“Darren, Alfonso and Alice were here to visit their relatives in Kapit.
“On the day the family was supposed to fly back to Australia, international borders were closed due to Covid-19 pandemic.
“Despite the plea by Vincenzo, Immigration Department officials at Sibu Airport disallowed Alice, Darren and Alfonso to board the plane with Vincenzo because they did not bring Alice and Vincenzo marriage certificate and also the two boys’ birth certificates.
“The documents were left in Australia. Thus, only Vincenzo was allowed to board the plane while Alice and the boys were left behind in Sibu,” he said.
Subsequently, Alice was able to go back to Australia after Vincenzo sent their marriage document from Australia.
However, Darren and Alfonso were not able to follow her because their international passport had expired.
Chambai said for Alfonso, renewal of his passport was straightforward because he had not reached the age of 16 and he could use his Malaysian birth certificate for the purpose.
Alfonso, however, chose to stay back with Darren in Sibu with their biological father Roy Bitit until Darren’s international passport was sorted out.
“But for Darren, the process is more complicated because for his age; he needs a MyKad to renew his passport.
“Unfortunately, he does not have a MyKad because when he and Alfonso moved to Australia in 2014 and settled there as permanent residents, they did not have any Malaysian identity card yet.
“As Darren needed an identity card to renew his passport, he was required to apply for late issuance of identity card from NRD,” he said.
Chambai said that Darren’s application for late issuance of identity card required assistance and attendance of Vincenzo in Sibu but due to the closure of international borders, he was not able to travel to Malaysia.
Vincenzo then requested permission from NRD Sibu to help Darren to apply for late issuance of MyKad in his capacity as guardian.
“All the necessary arrangements for the application were done with the assistance of the biological father and the duly completed forms were submitted to NRD Sibu in March this year.
“The boys and their biological father were also interviewed by NRD Sibu officers on the day the application forms were submitted,” he said.
He added they were told it would take three to six months for the application to be processed.
“Darren and his biological father had done all that is required by NRD for his application but as of now, there is still no news from the department whether his application is approved or rejected.
“The adoptive parents are now in Malaysia and yesterday (Wednesday) they inquired from NRD Sibu regarding Darren’s application but they were told that the matter is now handled by NRD Kuching.
“They were also given the same answer, that it would take three to six months to process the application.
“NRD must expedite Darren’s application so that he can renew his passport and to be reunited with his adoptive parents in Australia as this is a case where the department should cut the red tape and excessive bureaucracy,” he said.
He added that Darren and Alfonso had been deprived of the love and guidance of their adoptive parents during the time they were stranded in Sibu.
This also has caused the adoptive parents to suffer emotional stress due to prolonged absence of the boys, he said.
“The boys have also been deprived of their education in Australia for the past two years and when they are able to return, they have to start all over again with their education.
“The biological father will not be able to go back to Kuala Lumpur to get a permanent job if the two boys are still stranded in Sibu.
“It will be an unnecessary financial burden on the adoptive parents if the two boys continue to be stranded in Sibu.
“Furthermore, the adoptive parents are continually being asked by the Australian immigration authorities on the whereabouts of the two boys and they are worried they might be penalised by the authorities if the boys are still not in Australia and worst still, they are fearful that Darren and Alfonso may be barred from re-entering Australia if they continue to be stranded in Malaysia.
“In view of these, SDNU urges NRD to demonstrate a sense of empathy, humanity and urgency in processing Darren’s application. His adoptive parents are hopeful the application can be resolved before they return to Australia at the end of this month,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chambai said that he just received an update from NRD Kuching that Darren’s application was now being processed at NRD headquarters in Putrajaya.
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/3HhEVeQ
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