Special panel on identity documents set up
KUCHING: Sarawak is the first state in the country to establish a special committee to address issues concerning identification documents of students at government and government assisted schools in the state.
Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing Minister Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said the committee consists of the state National Registration Department (JPN) and State Education Department, and was formed following a letter of proposal issued on Jan 17 by JPN headquarters and Ministry of Education.
“With the establishment of this special committee, we hope to address and solve issues on children without proper documentation in the state within the next two years so that that those affected will be able to benefit from government assistance such as 1Malaysia Special Early School Aid ( BKAP1M), Textbook Assistance, Poor Students’ Trust Fund (KWAPM), and Supplemental Food Plan ( RMT) to name a few,” she told a press conference after chairing the Citizenship Special Committee Meeting at her office in Baitulmakmur here yesterday.
Though the special committee was formalised following the meeting yesterday, Fatimah noted that both departments had been carrying out strategic efforts to handle the matter since August last year.
“In fact, the State Education Department has come up with a Student Database Application (APDM) then and based on information from the APDM, a total of 1,297 students in the state last year either did not own identification documents or had problems concerning their citizenship status.”
Out of this figure, 687 students were found to be Malaysian citizens.
“On the other hand, 79 students were found to be non- citizens, 96 had undetermined status and the remaining 435 did not have complete background information,” she revealed.
In order to address the matter and ensure that students in the state have proper identification documents, JPN will be organising briefings at every district education office ( PPD) across the state.
“The briefings will be attended by the school administration such as principals and headmasters to ensure they can take proactive measures in submitting details of students from their schools who face problems with identification documents for further action.”
Apart from that, that the government had also approved an allocation of RM1.5 million to enable JPN to travel from one area to another to address this issue at grassroots level.
“JPN will also be bringing the mobile court with them to facilitate the process of swearing-in.”
On how these students wound up having no proper documentation, Fatimah said among the factors was late registration with JPN following their birth or the student’s mother is not a Malaysian citizen and not married at the time of birth.
Meanwhile, when asked on how the special committee would ensure that students in Sarawak own proper documentation, Fatimah acknowledged that there might be some students not in APDM.
“Nevertheless, we hope that schools will be able to resolve this issue by identifying their students through APDM and cooperating with JPN on the matter,” she said.
Also attending the press conference were Assistant Minister of Welfare and Community Wellbeing Dr Abdul Rahman Ismail and Assistant Minister of Early Childhood Education and Family Development Sharifah Hasidah Sayeed Aman Ghazali.