By Alexandra Lorna and Annabell Naja Tommy
KUCHING: Temporary documentation will be issued by the Office of the Premier of Sarawak to support stateless persons under 21 years of age in applying for access to education and health facilities in the State.
“It is to be stressed, however, that this exercise and the issuance of the temporary documentation is only meant for the specific purpose of facilitating or assisting stateless persons in applying for access to the education and health facilities in the State,” said Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Well-being Development Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah
“And is not a representation nor a promise in any way whatsoever as a means to obtain Malaysian citizenship which the State Government appreciates is a power vested with the Federal Government,” Fatimah said during the press conference on citizenship issues under Section 15A of the Federal Constitution at the Sarawak State Library here yesterday.
She said the State Government is aware of instances of persons in the State not having legal citizenship documents, generally referred to as stateless persons, which had affected their access to education and health facilities in the country.
“Access to basic health and education facilities is a fundamental human right and no one should be deprived of these rights.
“While the power to grant Malaysian citizenship is vested with the Federal Government, the State Cabinet has decided to provide whatever form of assistance within its powers to these unfortunate persons.”
She explained that the matter also does not mean that the Sarawak Government overrides the absolute power of the Federal Government in granting Malaysian citizenship status under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution.
On the latest number of citizenship applications, Fatimah said these numbers could only be obtained from the Home Ministry (KDN) because the approval process is not through the National Registration Department (JPN) Sarawak.
“Indeed, the Special Citizenship Committee was set up under Article 15A to facilitate citizenship applications in Sarawak in 2016 but it was abolished in 2019 following changes in the Federal Government, and last year it was reactivated under the Perikatan Nasional government (PN) until now.
