SIBU: Some 23 squatter families received a surprise visit from National Registration Department (NRD) officers.
The families, totaling about 100-odd persons, have been squatting at the sanitary landfill in Jalan Seng Ling here.
The 10 NRD officers from Kuching were there from March 20-21 to process their applications for MyKads and birth certificates.
Most of the squatters are jobless and their children are not schooling as they do not have the proper documents.
Three of the families have been staying there for 20 years while the rest, between two and three years.
They are from Kapit, Bintangor, Bawang Assan, Oya and Kanowit.
The place is not only filthy and not conducive for habitation but is also a mosquito-infested area.
Last Oct 12, Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah, at the request of Bukit Assek assemblyman Irene Chang and her Pelawan counterpart David Wong, visited the site.
The Welfare Department then approved the families for monthly financial aid.
Wong said processing the identity card and birth certificate applications was the first step that would eventually qualify the families to stay on state land.
“The two-day exercise involved 17 of the squatters. It covered those who had lost their identity cards, those who do not have an identity card and also those who do not have a birth certificate,” he said today, adding that the NRD officials were meticulous in their task.
An Iban community leader was also there to act as an observer so that only those qualified would have their applications processed.
On relocation, Wong said he would bring up the matter at the April State Legislative Assembly sitting.
“The state government must address this issue by finding a land to relocate them, either in Jalan Kemuyang or along the airport road. We also have squatter problems in Bintulu and Miri, which the government has to look into.”
