Fatimah: 946 delayed applications for citizenship in S’wak finalised by special committee thus far

KUCHING (Sept 5): The Special Committee for Citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution at the Sarawak-level has thus far successfully finalised 946 delayed applications, said Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

The Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister said this was the result of smooth decision-making related to citizenship applications in the state.

“I remember the Home Minister’s (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail) promise that whenever there are any delays to citizenship cases, they need to be resolved and now the delayed ones have been finalised,” she told a press conference at her office in Baitulmakmur Building II here today.

She had earlier chaired a meeting with the special committee.

Fatimah, who is the chairperson for this committee in Sarawak, said in the previous meeting held on Aug 17, a total of 306 applications were presented where 225 were approved and the remaining 81 were rejected.

“One of the reasons for rejection for illegitimate children was the difficulty of parents registering for valid marriage in Malaysia when faced with a foreign consulate,” she said.

On the latest meeting, she said 10 citizenship applications were presented by the National Registration Department (JPN) Sarawak.

“Eight of these applications were for illegitimate children from four application offices, namely JPN Kuching (3), JPN Song (3), JPN Tatau (1) and JPN Julau (1).

“Another two applications were for wards (anak jagaan) which came from JPN Kuching and JPN UTC Sibu,” she said.

Fatimah said the meeting was a follow-up to her previous meeting with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on July 24 as well as his letter dated July 30, which stated that there were no objections to the proposed establishment of a monthly mechanism for the Special Committee for Citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution at the Sarawak state level between her ministry and JPN Sarawak.

“Nevertheless, the standard operating procedures and terms of reference of this monthly special committee must focus on application verification matters, give priority to facilitating the application process, and submit recommendations to the Special Committee for Citizenship.

“All final decisions on all citizenship applications are subject to the current policies, regulations and mechanisms in force,” she said.

Also present were Deputy Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Rosey Yunus and the ministry’s permanent secretary Datu Felicia Tan.