By Nur Ashikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 29: Sarawak will request for the State-level special committee on citizenship to be reinstated to help stateless children pending the appointment of a Minister of Home Affairs in the upcoming federal cabinet line-up.
Sarawak Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah said once new Prime Minister Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced the federal cabinet line-up, especially the person appointed to helm the Home Affairs Ministry, her ministry will pay a courtesy visit to the new federal minister.
“We will pay a courtesy visit and request that the special committee on citizenship under Article 15(a) of the Federal Constitution at the Sarawak level can be reinstated under the new unity government,” she said during a press conference at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly (DUN) Complex here today.
She said the special committee is tasked to filter and review citizenship applications to ensure that no forms will be rejected due to incomplete documents. After that, the committee will endorse and bring up the applications to the Ministry of Home Affairs in Putrajaya.
“In this way, we hope it will speed up the application process for individuals under the age of 21 to obtain citizenship under Article 15(a) of the Federal Constitution,” she added.
Also present at the press conference were Deputy Minister of Women and Childhood Development Datuk Rosey Yunus, the ministry’s permanent secretary Dr Rashidah Bolhassan, Social Development Council executive secretary Dr Zufar Yadi Brendan Abdullah, Sarawak Social Welfare Department director Noriah Ahmad and Sarawak National Registration Department director Awang Afferoz Awang Marikan. — DayakDaily
