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By William Isau
SIBU, July 11: There is light at the end of the tunnel for University of Technology Sarawak (UTS) student, Liana Sari Santud and her mother and four siblings who are awaiting approval for their Malaysian identity cards.
“Today I came here to see how Liana’s case can be solved. In the meantime, she can apply for MyKas as she has the documents. In the long-term as from what I see from her family tree, we found that this issue can be solved as there is proof of citizenship as her grandmother has all the documents,” Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said after presenting Temporary Identification Documents for Stateless Individuals (DSITKS) to six recepients below the age of 21 today.
The six recipients include two from Sarikei Division and six from Sibu Division.
Fatimah added that the son of the longhouse chieftain of Rumah Sika, Pasai Siong could also provide evidence that Liana and her family are residents of the longhouse.
“I was also informed that the son of the longhouse chief is around and could support her application for citizenship. When we looked at her family, we see that we can solve the two cases in one-go, not only of her mother but also her four siblings,” she added.
According to the Dalat assemblywoman, when any case is brought to her, she would not look at it at face value but examine the background and how to help in the case.
“We take the case holistically, how to solve Liana’s case, her siblings and her mother’s one in one-go,” she said.
A TikTok video by Liana, who will be studying accounting at UTS this September, had recently gone viral. In the video, she asked the government to grant her and her family members citizenship.
Meanwhile, Fatimah disclosed a total of 60 stateless Sarawakians will be receiving their Malaysian citizenship approval letters soon.
She added 40 of them would be presented with the letter on July 24 by Sarawak Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg at Wisma Bapa Malaysia.
The remaining 20 will get theirs at separate locations and times. — DayakDaily
