MIRI – A Dayak group has called for the review of old citizenship applications filed by stateless Sarawakians as some are former border scouts and soldiers.
The Dayak Think Tank Association of Sarawak said many ageing stateless Sarawakians in the interiors have failed for decades to obtain citizenship
“There are many cases of aged stateless Sarawakians who had served as defenders of the state.
“They were born in the remote regions at a time when it was difficult for their parents to secure birth certificates or personal identity documents.
“They served the state well and tried to secure identity cards but their applications had been rejected by the National Registration Department repeatedly as they cannot show proof of their birthplaces.
“In cases like these, the government must exercise special consideration,” president Willie Henry Majang told The Vibes.
He added that under the Sarawak Registration of Birth and Death Ordinance 1958, the state has authority over birth certificate issuance.
In February, the Dayak National Congress issued a resolution calling on the Sarawak government to enforce autonomous control in issuing birth certificates and identity cards for Sarawakians.
Congress president Paul Raja said the state government should set up an autonomous Sarawak Registration Department under the control of the state government, not the federal government.
“This is in line with our rights under the Malaysia Agreement 1963,” he said.
On February 15, a lawmaker had expressed similar sentiments, calling for the Sarawak government to acquire the authority to grant citizenship status.
Dudong assemblyman Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing had said this must be done to enable the state to resolve the decades of woes afflicting many stateless Sarawakians. – The Vibes, February 21, 2022
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