Re-examine policies on long-term pass for non-S’wakian widowers, says DAP man

KUCHING (July 16): It is high time that the state government re-examine its existing policies regarding long-term social visit passes for non-Sarawakians who are widowed but have children born in Sarawak, said Michael Kong.

The special assistant to Sarawak DAP chairman Chong Chieng Jen in a statement today said the situation is both unjust and detrimental to the social fabric of the state.

“Presently, non-Sarawakian widowers can only remain in the state if they obtain an employment pass or a temporary work visit pass, while those aged 60 years and above can apply for a long-term social visit pass under the elderly policy.

“However, what about those who are not eligible to apply for any of these passes?
“The existing policies force these non-Sarawakians along with their children, who are Sarawakians by birth, to leave the state.

“This makes it impossible for a Sarawakian child to grow up in their homeland and will gradually shrink the number of future Sarawakians,” Kong said.

He said that historically, non-Sarawakians who moved to the state and married a Sarawakian were deemed to have a ‘Sarawak connection’ by the courts when determining their eligibility to practice law in the state.

“If these individuals are recognised as having a ‘Sarawak connection’, then why are they still being marginalised and discriminated against following the unfortunate passing of their spouse?

“While the government is focused on attracting more businesses to Sarawak, it is crucial that our existing policies are updated to offer more protection and support to those who have contributed to the state in various ways,” he said.

He claimed that these outdated policies need to be revised to reflect the values of inclusivity and fairness.

“It is imperative that the government extends the long-term social visit pass to non-Sarawakians who are widowed with Sarawakian children.

“By doing so, we not only protect the rights of these families but also preserve the future of our Sarawakian community,” he said.