Merlin Merjina finally gets his birth cert and IC!

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Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing, Datuk Hajah Fatimah Abdullah (second right) handing over the birth certificate and identity card to Merlin Merjina (centre), witnessed by State Registration Department Director, Haji jasni Jubli (right), his mother, Merjina Henry (left) and other family members. PHOTO: RAMIDI SUBARI.

“In Merlin’s case, the procedure went smoothly because his mother is a Malaysian citizen. His only problem was that he was not registered within 42 days of his birth.”

KUCHING: Merlin Merjina officially received his birth certificate and Identity Card (IC) on Thursday.

 The 12-year-old pupil of SJK(C) Chung Hua Buntal can finally be registered in the Pupils’ Database and sit for his UPSR Examination later this year. 

Minister of Welfare, Women and Community Wellbeing, Datuk Fatimah Abdullah graced the handing over of Merlin’s personal documents at her ministry in Baitulmakmur.

 She later told a press conference that it only took 11 days for National Registry Department (NRD) to process Merlin’s application due to the simplified procedure undertaken by the ministry two years ago.

 “The procedure was simplified when we activated the Special Task Force back in September 2015.

“The only procedure that is crucial when late registration is identified is a statutory declaration by a community leader.

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 “In Merlin’s case, the procedure went smoothly because his mother is a Malaysian citizen. His only problem was that he was not registered within 42 days of his birth,” explained Fatimah.

 The NRD received all the necessary documents from Merjina Henry (Merlin’s mother) on 17 March and Merlin’s birth certificate and Identity Card (IC) was completed on his birthday on 28 March.

 Prior to that, Merjina came to NRD on 13 March and was instructed to obtain a statutory declaration from Merlin’s birthplace in Meradong. Merjina is now living in Serian with her husband.

 Fatimah warned that any community leader caught submitting a false statutory declaration faced a year’s jail and RM3000 compound.

 The minister also pointed out that a total of 4,098 applications had been made since the Special Task Force was founded. The task force will be dissolved by the end of this year.

 “Hence, we are going all out to conduct more outreach programmes so that more Sarawakians will be registered,” said Fatimah.