MIRI – The Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) has welcomed the Sarawak government’s move to issue temporary documentation to stateless children in the state.
The issuance of such documentation purportedly aims to enable stateless children in Sarawak to access public schools and medical services, paying the same fees as Malaysian citizens.
Suhakam children’s commissioner Prof Datuk Noor Aziah Mohd Awal said it marks a major administrative shift in favour of stateless children.
Sarawak Women, Childhood and Community Well-Being Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah had announced in Kuching last week that the state government will issue documents to Sarawakians below the age of 21 who are without identity cards, so that they can continue schooling while awaiting their citizenship.
With the said documents, the children can also go for medical treatment in hospitals and clinics.
In a statement today, Noor Aziah noted that, since its inception, the children’s commissioner’s office at Suhakam has received numerous complaints related to statelessness, including delays in schooling.
There are tens of thousands of Sarawakians without birth certificates and identity cards statewide. – The Vibes, April 13, 2022
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