KUALA LUMPUR: The Malaysian government has agreed to allocate RM2mil to provide in-person services for approximately 3,500 Malaysians residing in the United States to renew their MyKid or MyKad, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong.
The MCA president said that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had personally assured him of the allocation after a discussion with officials from the National Registration Department (NRD) on Oct 10.
"This allocation will enable the Home Ministry to send a team of officers to the United States to assist Malaysians in renewing their identification papers without having to travel back to Malaysia.
"Getting their identity cards means a lot to them, as it will enable them to apply for passports and other official documents, facilitating their progress in life," he said.
He said this when met after attending the Wanita MCA pre-annual general meeting dinner here on Friday (Oct 20) night.
Dr Wee highlighted the predicament faced by many Malaysian children who had moved to the United States with their parents in the 1990s.
He said those who were under 12 years old at the time and only held their MyKid identification cards encountered issues when applying for Malaysian passports at the country's embassy in the United States.
"As a result, they have been stranded in the US and are unable to obtain green cards or even proper identification, leading to employment, marriage and other problems," said Dr Wee.
Besides, they would not be able to regain entry into the country if they leave and return to Malaysia to get their papers sorted out," he added.
Dr Wee said that some of these children are now adults, adding that there are about 3,500 affected Malaysians in the US.
He then added that he was alerted to the issue when he represented Parliament and attended the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York in 2005 during a dialogue with MAA.
He had previously raised this matter with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who responded positively and met with representatives from the Malaysia Association of America (MAA) for more details.
"During my discussion with the Prime Minister on Oct 10, he mentioned that similar issues exist in Mecca and expressed his willingness to provide assistance. I am grateful to both Saifuddin and Anwar for making these Malaysians' dreams come true."
Dr Wee then said that among the affected Malaysians in the US, some have faced hurdles in pursuing higher education or starting families through marriage.
"This initiative will bring stability to their families and alleviate their concerns about their future," he added.
In April, The Star reported that the Malaysian Consulate-General in New York issued a notice stating that the Malaysian Government has consented to in-person services for Malaysians needing to renew their Mykid or Mykad, without the need to travel home to do so.
The notice stated that the Malaysian Embassy in Washington, together with the consulates-general in New York and Los Angeles, was planning to conduct in-person services for Mykad and MyKid for the affected group of Malaysians based in the US.
This was after MAA founder Kim Bong, who is also based in New York, highlighted the predicament faced by Malaysians in the US during a meeting with Saifuddin Nasution in January, with help from Dr Wee.
