Friday December 23, 2005

Easy step to amend religion in MyKad

BY M.KRISHNAMOORTHY

PETALING JAYA: The controversy over errors in the status of religion of MyKad holders has been resolved.

“Those faced with the predicament need only fill up one form (Form A) to rectify the mistake,” NRD director-general Datuk Mohd Abdul Halim Muhammad told The Star yesterday.

”There is no need for a statutory declaration before the Commissioner of Oaths or a baptism certificate from a church or a letter from a temple priest, or any other documents,” he said about the hassle-free step by the NRD for those wanting to rectify the mistake, and have the correct religion stated on their MyKad.

In recent months, there had been complaints from many MyKad holders claiming that their religion had been wrongly registered in the cards.

The complaints were about having to produce a statutory declaration, baptism certificate or letters to prove their religion.

Some said they had to pay for the mistakes made by the NRD.

The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship Malaysia (NECF) had urged the Home Affairs Ministry to rectify the situation.

Its secretary-general Rev Wong Kim Kong had said the situation was serious, as he had recorded a 25% error rate in the samplings he had carried out on church members around the country.

”The problem does not lie with the people but with the officers recording the information inaccurately,” he said.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili and Deputy Home Affairs Minister Datuk Tan Chai Ho together with Home Affairs secretary-general Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat worked to solve the problem.

NRD public relations officer Jainisah Mohd Noor apologised on behalf of the department for any inconvenience caused to the public.

“The NRD apologises for the problems encountered by all those affected,” she said.

Abdul Halim said those 18 years and above could submit Form A individually.

However, those below 18 must get the forms endorsed by their parents.

Asked about complaints as to why the new simplified procedures were not put up on the department's website, Abdul Halim said that he would direct the officer-in-charge to make the changes.

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