‘Expedite, intensify efforts on citizenship applications’
MIRI: The federal and state governments must find quick, effective solution to the long-standing citizenship application issues for stateless Sarawakians, said social activist Agnes Padan.
“The National Registration Department (JPN) has to be proactive and help everyone irrespective of their race, religion or status. The federal and state governments must employ sufficient and competent staff to expedite the citizenship application and approval within the JPN and not delegate JPN’s responsibilities to the district office (DO),” she said in a statement yesterday.
Agnes was responding to a news article published Aug 12 quoting Dato’ Sri Fatimah Abdullah on the latest procedure for stateless individuals in Sarawak to apply for citizenship, which she said has been finetuned to ensure better success rate.
According to Fatimah, the district office will become the receiving point of citizenship applications, and that it will take about 37 days from the receiving point until a temporary document is issued by the State secretary office.
While welcoming the initiatives taken by the Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development in matters pertaining to citizenship, Agnes viewed the latest decision to task the DO as the receiving point for such applications as a mere window dressing for the upcoming general election.
“There are many applications pending approval for decades and some of the applicants are already in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s,” she lamented.
“Among the applicants, there are mothers, children and former border scouts who are struggling without citizenships, and are being deprived of medical attention, education and citizenship benefits and rights,” she said, while expressing hope that both federal and state governments will intensify efforts and resolve the longstanding issue.