New SOP on granting citizenship to be announced soon

KOTA KINABALU: The government will be announcing new standard operating procedure (SOP) on the process of granting citizenship, especially to residents in this state as soon as a decision has been made on the matter.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Azis Jamman said the new SOP for the Committee on the Management of Foreign Nationals in Sabah (JKPWAS) was to ensure the issue was addressed not only in Sabah but also in the Peninsula.

“JKPWAS will be activated with new policies or SOP to ensure the issue of documentation is resolved,” he told reporters after opening the Sepanggar Warisan delegates meeting here yesterday.

The Sepanggar MP said the committee had already been created in the government earlier.

On the meeting, Azis who is contesting as Sepanggar Warisan division head won the post uncontested.

Meanwhile in Ipoh, Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching said stateless children who wish to study in government schools need to comply with the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the Education Ministry.

However, she said the ministry welcomed the efforts of the Perak government to establish a committee to assist such children attend government schools.

“I have not met the committee but it should adhere with the guidelines such possessing birthday certificate to show either the mother or father is a Malaysian.

“Or the children have court orders to be accepted into government schools,” she told a media conference after visiting Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Marian Convent yesterday. - Bernama