7 years wait without Mykad for Sandakan youth

SANDAKAN - Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) Supreme Councillor cum Elopura CLC Vice Chairman Yong Chie Man urged The National Registration Department (JPN) to grant citizenship to a Sabahan youth by issuing Malaysian Identity Card (MyKad) to him as soon as possible.

Yong received complaint about a youth who did not own MyKad, despite he is born in Sandakan and fulfilled the conditions of constitution to be a Malaysian citizen.

SAPP Sandakan Zon has forwarded this case to SAPP Luyang State Assemblywomen Melanie Chia Chui Ket to put pressure on the authorities.

A 19 year old youth, Mok Vun Loong, whose father is also born in Sandakan and owned MyKad, has gone through unnecessary hardships.(Picture: Yong Chie Man (center), Mok Vun Loong (right), Mok wife and daughter)

Since he was in 12 years old, Mok had often visited The JPN office in Sabah and kept meeting with the official in charge, up till now with no success but frustration.

Due to Mok was not a MyKad holder and his application for MyKad was unsuccessful until now, he could not enjoy the opportunity to gain a wide range of benefits provided by government to citizens.

As a result, the marriage of Mok cannot be registered legally under The Marriage Registration Board. His wife can only use the status of single mother to apply the birth certificate for their newborn daughter.

Yong said, "According to the Article 14 (1) (b) of The Constitution of Malaysia, Mok should have obtained his MyKad."

The Part 3 ¨C Citizenship, Chapter 1 - Acquisition of Citizenship, Article 14 (1) (b) of The Constitution of Malaysia stated that subject to the provisions of this Part, the following persons are citizens by operation of law, that is to say every person born on or after Malaysia Day, and having any of the qualifications specified in Part 2 (a) of the Second Schedule (every person born within the Federation of whose parents one at least is at the time of the birth either a citizen or permanently resident in the Federation).

Yong said, "this case was the tip of the iceberg, in fact a lot of Sabahan including our own natives who live in rural areas had not been issued MyKad by The JPN. In contrast, a lot of illegal immigrants held MyKad to stay in Sabah."