MP: NRD's new policy leaving Sarawak children stateless
Ram AnandPublished: Jul 2, 2013 11:01 AM | Updated: Jul 2, 2013 11:58 AM
A policy change by the National Registration Department (NRD) has allegedly left many children in Sarawak stateless because their birth certificates and citizenship status are being revoked, DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen said today.
A policy change by the National Registration Department (NRD) has allegedly left many children in Sarawak stateless because their birth certificates and citizenship status are being revoked, DAP’s Bandar Kuching MP Chong Chieng Jen said today.
Speaking during a press conference at the Parliament lobby, Chong said that NRD has recently come up with a policy that a newborn child will follow the nationality of the mother and not the father if the parents are not married at the time of birth.
However, the policy is being backdated by NRD officers in Sarawak, which means children who had been issued birth certificates are having their birth certificates revoked and issued with a new one that states that they are not citizens of Malaysia.
“So far we have received six or seven similar complaints in Sarawak,” said Chong (right), who is also the Sarawak DAP chairperson.
He cited the case of Lim Wang Chun, a 12-year-old who had his birth certificate revoked when he went to apply for a MyKad from NRD recently.
The reason for his birth certificate being revoked is because his parents were not married at the time of his birth, and that he would have to follow the nationality of the mother - who was Indonesian at the time of his birth.
“The officers told him he is no longer a citizen and issued him a new birth certificate instead. Now the boy cannot sit for the UPSR examinations this September,” Chong said.
He said that while Lim’s parents could afford to follow up on the matter, many other victims of this new policy are from rural areas and have very little resources and avenue to follow up on the matter.
“They spent around RM100 to and from their areas to come to Kuching and refer to this matter. When they are told that the children’s citizenship is revoked, they go back and simply ask their children to help them with farming,” Chong said.
“Rightly or wrongly, the child has been granted citizenship before and has lived as a Malaysian for 12 years. It is absurd and unjust to to take away his citizenship now,” Chong added.
He said that he had raised the matter with Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Wan Jaafar, who has promised to look into the matter.
Speaking during a press conference at the Parliament lobby, Chong said that NRD has recently come up with a policy that a newborn child will follow the nationality of the mother and not the father if the parents are not married at the time of birth.
However, the policy is being backdated by NRD officers in Sarawak, which means children who had been issued birth certificates are having their birth certificates revoked and issued with a new one that states that they are not citizens of Malaysia.
“So far we have received six or seven similar complaints in Sarawak,” said Chong (right), who is also the Sarawak DAP chairperson.He cited the case of Lim Wang Chun, a 12-year-old who had his birth certificate revoked when he went to apply for a MyKad from NRD recently.
The reason for his birth certificate being revoked is because his parents were not married at the time of his birth, and that he would have to follow the nationality of the mother - who was Indonesian at the time of his birth.
“The officers told him he is no longer a citizen and issued him a new birth certificate instead. Now the boy cannot sit for the UPSR examinations this September,” Chong said.
He said that while Lim’s parents could afford to follow up on the matter, many other victims of this new policy are from rural areas and have very little resources and avenue to follow up on the matter.
“They spent around RM100 to and from their areas to come to Kuching and refer to this matter. When they are told that the children’s citizenship is revoked, they go back and simply ask their children to help them with farming,” Chong said.
“Rightly or wrongly, the child has been granted citizenship before and has lived as a Malaysian for 12 years. It is absurd and unjust to to take away his citizenship now,” Chong added.
He said that he had raised the matter with Deputy Home Minister Wan Junaidi Wan Jaafar, who has promised to look into the matter.
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