CONCERN OVER CHILDREN’S EDUCATION
Lack of identification documentation depriving kids a bright future, says Cambodian community rep
HAS the brutal murder of 11-year-old Siti Masitah Ibrahim, whose decomposed body was found near some bushes in Tanjung Medang Kemahang here last weekend, opened a can of worms on the presence of several villages occupied by refugees from Cambodia?
At least four settlements — Kampung Pulau Keladi, Kampung Tanjung Agas, Kampung Sekukuh and Kampung Kemahang — in Tanjung Medang Kemahang, where the killing occurred, are occupied by the descendants of Champa from Cambodia.
The majority of villagers here are Cham Muslims who escaped from Khmer Rouge atrocities in Cambodia in the 1970s and ended up in Malaysia, with some choosing Pahang to start a new life with refugee status.
Kampung Kemahang Cambodian community representative Abdul Fasir Omar said the village had around 300 people and the majority of them did not have identification documents, while some possessed United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees cards, red identity cards and working permits (to live in Malaysia).
The 51-year-old said while the elderly villagers did not have identification documents, some of the younger generation, those born in Malaysia, owned MyKad.
“Those living here are known as Champa Muslims or Cham Muslims who fled Cambodia in the late 1970s. Many ended up here as refugees. I came to Malaysia as a refugee in 1985 and lived in Kajang, Selangor.
“The first generation of Champa Muslims arrived in Kampung Kemahang in 1995 before I moved here seven years later. When I came here, there were around 10 families.
“More people started moving in 10 years ago. Now, there are about 300 people from 80 families living here.”
Fasir said many of the villagers had applied for permanent resident status, but were rejected by the government on several occasions.
“I have a red identity card and my application for PR status has been rejected three times. Now I am making a fourth attempt.
“The lack of proper documentation has deprived our children the opportunity to get formal education in school.
“Most of us here work as cage fish farmers and do odd jobs, and we have never caused any trouble.
“The recent murder incident (involving Siti Masitah) does not define the Champa Muslims. The incident was caused by one individual and the entire community should not be punished (or portrayed as bad people).”
Fasir, who has 10 grandchildren who were born in Malaysia, said he and his fellow villagers had no plans to return to Cambodia and hoped the government could assist them in obtaining identification documents.
On the government’s policy to allow stateless and undocumented children to attend school starting this year, Fasir said the school required identification documents from the parents before their child could attend lessons.
“We built a religious school called Madrasah Islamiah 10 years ago to provide religious lessons to children. Some parents even send their children to religious schools in other districts.
“Our concern is the future of the Champa Muslim children as without education, they will not be able to do anything other than living in the village and continue doing odd jobs when they grow older. We hope the authorities can help.”
Last year, it was reported that Pahang had about 10,000 people from the Champa community with most of them living in Kuantan and Pekan, and working either as fishermen and farmers, and doing odd jobs.
Siti Masitah’s parents — Ibrahim Ali, 39, and Solihah Abdullah, 35, — along with the 23year-old suspect who is now remanded at the Pekan police headquarters, do not have identification documents or permanent residence cards.
The girl’s body was found in a badly decomposed state in an oil palm plantation at Kampung Tanjung Medang Hilir. She had gone missing on Jan 30.