KUCHING: The Home Ministry and the Sarawak government have established a special task force to jointly deal with the issue of people without identification documents in the state.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the task force was divided into two committees, with the main committee, which will determine policies on the issue, jointly chaired by him and Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.
"The other is the technical committee, which is jointly chaired by the National Registration Department Director-General and the State Secretary. The committee will decide on the mechanism and method to resolve the issue," he added.
Saifuddin Nasution told reporters this after handing over 62 letters on citizenship results to children below the age of 12 here Monday (July 24).
He said that based on statistics from the Sarawak Premier's Department, a total of 9,314 residents in the state had been identified without identification documents.
"The Sarawak government has a database that makes it easier for the ministry to identify the position of the individuals concerned and also makes it easier for the special task force to go to the location to solve the issue," he said.
Saifuddin Nasution said that to deal with the issue, the agencies involved would go to the locations to meet the individuals concerned.
"This initiative is possible with the collaboration of ministry and the Sarawak Women, Childhood and Community Well-being Ministry, led by its minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah,” he added.
According to Saifuddin Nasution, under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, the Federal Government can, in certain special circumstances, orders a person below the age of 12 years to be registered as a citizen. - Bernama
