By Ashley Sim
KUCHING, May 17: Andy Ling, age 35 from Sibu and currently residing in Kuching, was adopted as an infant and is currently searching for his birth parents in a desperate attempt to resolve a decades-long Malaysian Identity Card (IC) issue.
In an interview with DayakDaily, Ling shared his story and expressed his desire to reclaim his blue IC (MyKad). Ling explained that he received a MyKad when he turned 12, but it was confiscated by authorities several years later, and that he was issued a green IC (MyKas) indicating that he is only a temporary resident of Malaysia.
“According to my adoptive parents, my birth parents were unable to raise me as an infant, so they had to give me up for adoption, after which my adoptive parents raised me.
“As far as I know, my adoptive parents are unaware of the identity of my birth parents. They adopted me perhaps through introduction by a neighbour’s friends of friends. No one knows who my birth parents are.
“My biological parents did not have a birth certificate for me either. Despite the fact that my birth certificate from my adoptive parents, as well as my MyKad, stated that I was born in 1988, my adoptive mother informed me that I was actually born in 1985. My birth certificate was delayed by three years,” Ling claimed.
When questioned about the confiscation of his MyKad, Ling alleged that when he was in his 20s and already employed, the National Registration Department (JPN) unexpectedly contacted him to verify his birth certificate information and then decided to confiscate his documents, including his MyKad.
“JPN issued me a MyKas after a few years. I asked several people why the authorities had confiscated my MyKad, and they said it was probably because my birth certificate contained some errors.
“I’ve had my MyKad for about twenty years, contribute to Employees Provident Fund (EPF), and have been employed for many years with no problems until this IC issue arose.
“I’ve also been fighting for my case for several years and looking for people that can help me,” he asserted.
As the oldest of his two adopted siblings, Ling is eager to settle down with his girlfriend and wants to resolve the IC issue as soon as possible.
While he learned that he could get married with a MyKas, he is unable to own property or run his own business. Ling has been residing in Kuching for approximately six years and understands that a child’s citizenship in Malaysia is determined by the citizenship of the birth mother.
Ling also shared that MyKas must be renewed every five years, and that he had gone to renew it in February of this year, but has yet to receive the new card.
“I have raised my IC issue with JPN, but unfortunately, they have not provided me with a clear and conclusive response. I did retain a photocopy of my birth certificate and MyKad, so I have proof.”
When asked if there is any difference in the information on his MyKad and MyKas, Ling mentioned that the birth place (BP) code and last four digits on both ICs are not the same.
“Furthermore, I’ve noticed that MyKas does not display my surname, Ling. My surname, however, appears on MyKad. So this is very strange.”
Moreover, Ling recently renewed his driver’s licence in April of this year and mentioned that the identification number on his licence matches the numbers on his seized MyKad.
Ling emphasised that tracing his birth parents would help determine his Malaysian and Sarawakian citizenship and allow him to reclaim his MyKad in order to proceed with his future plans, including marriage, owning a business, and travelling with ease.
“I only desire to regain my citizenship. I am a Malaysian and a Sarawakian, but why must the government revoke my citizenship? Due to this decades-long IC issue, I am currently without citizenship.”
Those who have information about Ling’s birth parents or who wish to assist him can contact Wong Hua Lan at 014-3551170 or andyling3113@gmail.com. Ling’s house address in Sibu is No. 13F Lorong Emplam, 96000 Sibu, Sarawak. — DayakDaily
