UKB a fast track for stateless persons to obtain IDs — Lee
MIRI: The National Registration Department (NRD) has managed to reduce the number of stateless persons in Sarawak since the department established its mobile registration team ( UKB) in 2004.
Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Datuk Lee Kim Shin thanked the department for such initiative and hoped that those affected would take full advantage of the service offered – a fast track to obtain their documents, which would open up many opportunities for them.
“Today alone, 19 stateless persons from rural areas in Sarawak, who migrated and resided in Senadin constituency have finally obtained their birth certificates and three others also received their identity cards.
“The youngest (of them) being 13 years old and the oldest 55 years old, and it is very sad because these people including the 13year- old boy here, didn’t have the chance to go to school. Thus causing him and 18 others to miss many opportunities – getting a job and also other government assistance like BR1M,” said Lee – also Senadin assemblyman – when handing over the documents to the recipients at NRD office here on Saturday.
Among those present were his special assistant Eric Chin, UKB Miri chief Affrizan Bujang, Sarawak United People’s Party ( SUPP) Miri Public Complaints Bureau head Hanim Jaraee and assistant registration officers, Philip Neh and Felix Japi.
Lee said the 19 recipients including some from Limbang
Today alone, 19 stateless persons from rural areas in Sarawak, who migrated and resided in Senadin constituency have finally obtained their birth certificates and three others also received their identity cards.
and Bintulu divisions had applied for the documents through UKB with the help of SUPP Senadin Service Centre between October and December last year.
“UKB helps to speed up processing of birth certificates and ICs for those with the relevant supporting documents; otherwise through normal process, some might have to wait for many years,” he said.
Lee thus urged that recipients to also encourage other stateless people in their respective areas to apply for similar documents, which would open up a host of benefits for them – among them obtaining formal education and decent jobs, applying for many government assistance, being able to register as voters and discharging their rights as citizens.
Meanwhile, Affrizan said UKB Miri was set up in 2009 to serve Northern Sarawak covering Bintulu, Miri and Limbang divisions.
He said among the criteria for those applying are that they must be born in Sarawak with either one or both of their parents being Malaysian citizens.
“The NRD cannot process the applications if the parents are also stateless or the community leaders do not support their applications for citizenship. Once they have all the relevant supporting documents, they can have it done fast without having to go to NRD offices in urban centres. For example, today all those having the birth certificates, we straight away get them to apply for their ICs; otherwise if by normal procedures, they would need to go to Kuching to apply for their ICs and have to pay RM10 for late registration of birth,” Affrizan said.
Meanwhile those requiring further details can call the hotline 085- 415617 during office hours.
Datuk Lee Kim Shin, Assistant Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture