Mekar programme reduces late birth registration — DG
MARANG: The National Registration Department recorded 6,894 cases of late birth registration nationwide last year following the implementation of the Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (Mekar) programme, said its director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh.
He said the trend has been decreasing for the past 10 years adding that 30,466 cases were recorded in 2010.
“Through the Mekar programme, NRD personnel have been going down to the ground to meet persons with disabilities (PWD), the elderly, poor, bed-ridden and living in the interior areas, to assist them with their MyKad and birth certificate registrations.”
He said this to reporters after handing over the birth certificates of two children Nur Iffika Dahlia Rusli, 9, and her sister Nur Irine Delisha, 2, at Kampung Gong Balai near Merchang here, yesterday.
Ruslin said Sabah recorded the highest number of delayed birth registration, followed by the Federal Territory of Putrajaya, Selangor and Sarawak.
He said among the excuses given by parents for the late registration were that the NRD office is located far from their houses, insufficient personal documents, marriage certificates missing and not having the time.
“These are poor excuses as parents have been reminded to expedite their child’s birth registration so that there will be no problems in future when they need to register for school and have access to essential healthcare services.
“In the case of these two siblings, it was their neighbour, a teacher who had helped them with the birth registration to enable the elder child to join her peers for the new school session, “he said.
Meanwhile, the siblings’ mother Bibi Sopiar Jusoh, 43, said she was relieved that her children now have their birth certificates and was surprised to receive them from the NRD director-general himself.
“Six of my eight children have their birth certificates. Only Nur Iffika Dahlia and her sister Nur Irine Delisha had problems with the registration because we did not have the required documents at that time.
“We are village folks and we were afraid we would be fined as we could not produce the necessary documents such as the prenatal care records and parents’ birth certificates and we didn’t realise that it had dragged on for nine years, “she added. — Bernama