Saturday October 29, 2005

It’s NRD’s duty to record religion correctly

I COLLECTED my MyKad last Friday and found that the religion stated on it was not correct.

I was asked to pay RM20 to have it changed. I cannot remember if I had been asked for my religion when I applied for it.

If they did I would have told them “Christian” and if they did not, then they should start asking every applicant for his religion. To have the mistake corrected, a senior officer asked me for my baptism certificate. I replied that it was not necessary. I am of sound mind and am in my forties. I know which religion I am practising.

I was then asked for my birth certificate. I told him I did not have it with me. Even if I had, it would only state my father’s religion and not mine.

He also asked me the name of the church I attended to verify that I indeed am attending a church.

At my insistence, he reluctantly gave me a temporary identity card.

The point I want to make here is thatit is the counter staff’s duty to have an applicant’s religion stated correctly. We should not need to bring any documents to prove what is in our hearts and should anyone change his religion within weeks, it is his religious freedom.

It is his right as written down in the Constitution. He just needs to pay RM20.

If the National Registration Department can accept the addresses that applicants fill in without any question, why can’t it accept our religion as well?

C.S. CHIN,
Kuala Lumpur.

News

Saturday October 29, 2005

It’s NRD’s duty to record religion correctly