By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 26: The Sarawak government has approved a decision allowing the National Registration Department (JPN) to grant ‘K’ status in the MyKad for adopted children in the State.
Sarawak’s Minister of Women, Childhood, and Community Wellbeing Development, Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, explained that adopted children in Sarawak who have been granted Malaysian citizenship were not automatically eligible for the ‘K’ status.
This is because the granting of the ‘K’ status depends on the information recorded about the biological parents in the child’s original birth certificate.
However, she highlighted that there are many cases of adopted children not knowing their own biological parents as they have been abandoned since birth and placed in orphanages.
“When our protection officers at the Social Welfare Department (JKM) register adopted children with the JPN, the parental information section is often marked as ‘information not available’ or ‘no information’ because the child was abandoned.
“This lack of information on the biological parents prevents them from obtaining the ‘K’ status,” she said at a press conference held at Baitulmakmur 2 building today.
Following this, her ministry has brought up this matter to the Sarawak Cabinet and the latter, on Sept 26, has agreed to the proposed inclusion of ‘K’ status to children adopted by Sarawakian parents who are holders of the ‘K’ status.
Fatimah added that the approval covers anomaly cases involving children adopted by citizen couples holding the ‘K’ indicator.
This includes children granted citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, regardless of the indicator status of their biological parents or the background details recorded on the child’s original birth certificate.
She further stated that it also applies to abandoned children placed in government welfare institutions who are later adopted by citizen couples holding the ‘K’ indicator, irrespective of the information recorded on the child’s original birth certificate.
“Currently, the Ministry, together with Sarawak JPN, Sarawak Immigration Department of Malaysia, and other government agencies, are finetuning existing standard operating procedures and guidelines to facilitate and expedite the approval process for permanent resident (PR) applications and entry permit certificates for children granted citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution.
“This is to ensure the ‘K’ indicator can be issued promptly,” she added. — DayakDaily
