Relief and joy for 18 MyKad recipients
GEORGE TOWN: A 68-year-old man who came to Malaysia with his mother before Independence Day in 1957 has finally obtained his MyKad after many unsuccessful applications since his teenage years.
K. Ramu, who suffered a stroke four years ago, expressed relief and happiness after finally obtaining the document of citizenship at the National Registration Department (NRD) office yesterday.
Ramu said he first made an application at the age of 16, during the administration of former prime minister)Tun Abdul Razak, adding that he had made countless unsuccessful applications since then.
Ramu said as he had not been able to vote in all the previous general elections, he is looking forward to finally being able to cast his vote in the upcoming 14th general election.
During yesterday’s ceremony, A. Saroja, 66, from Sungai Petani, Kedah, also said she was happy to finally receive her MyKad and certificate of citizenship from the NRD.
The housewife said she had been carrying a red identification document since she was 12 years old.
Ramu and Saroja were among 18 recipients who had their citizenship issue finally resolved after decades.
Two individuals have already collected their MyKads, while eight turned up at the NRD office yesterday.
In a media conference, MIC vicepresident Datuk T. Mohan, who handed over the citizenship documents to the recipients, said he was happy for all of them.
He said a total of 12,756 applications for citizenship were made while 7,126 have been approved to date, adding that about 4,974 applications are pending.
He rubbished claims by the Opposition that 300,000 people have yet to receive their citizenship.