Minister: 60 applications for temporary personal documents received as at Nov 1

Fatimah (front, second right) witnesses National Registration Department Sarawak director Awang Afferoz Awang Marikan (right) handing over to Yusuf the citizenship document for four-year-old Mikayla, as Nuridzyan (left) looks on. Standing next to Yusuf’s wife is Deputy Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Development Datuk Rosey Yunus. — Photo by Chimon Upon

KUCHING (Nov 30): A total of 60 requests for temporary personal documentation have been received by the state government since the opening for the application on Nov 1 this year.

According to Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the application is strictly meant for stateless individuals who are below the age of 21.

“The issuance of temporary documentation is for eligible stateless children who are applying for Malaysian citizenship under Section 15A of the Federal Constitution.

“There are youngsters in Sarawak, who identify as Malaysians but have yet to be given Malaysian citizenship, who are in need of access to facilities such as healthcare and education.

“It is the right of these children too,” she said in a press conference held at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex yesterday.

Fatimah said to apply for the temporary documentation, one must be below 21 years old, must possess a birth certificate issued in Sarawak, and must apply for citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution.

“While the application process is expected to take about a month, successful applicants would be issued with temporary documents, which are valid for two years.

“Applications for the documents could be made at the office of my ministry or at the district offices statewide,” she said.

In addition, Fatimah said next month, her ministry will conduct an outreach programme on the temporary document application.

“This programme will kick off at the community social support centre in Kuching on Dec 2, before proceeding to Sepupok, Niah on Dec 8, Lawas on Dec 10, and Sibu on Dec 12.

“The reason why these areas are selected is because we believe that we can find a huge number of stateless children in these areas, and because of that, we also believe that this programme would help us locate them.

“Following the launch of this programme, we hope to see as many stateless children as possible having access to healthcare and be on time to go to school by March next year, which is the start of the new school term,” she said.

Prior to the press conference, Fatimah witnessed the handing-over of citizenship documents, issued under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, to the daughter of Yusuf Kamil and Nuridzyan Syazwani Ja’afar.

The couple adopted Mikayla Hanna, now four, when she was only one year old.

“We applied for her (Mikayla’s) citizenship in September 2019 and since them, he have been following up with the National Registration Department through calls and emails, to make sure that the application would be expedited,” said Yusuf.

“My wife and I are very happy that our daughter’s citizenship has been approved after three years,” he added.

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