National Registration Department (NRD) is turning local Sabahan into foreigners and letting foreigners become citizens, claimed Wilfred Bumburing, the deputy president of United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (UPKO).
“This action by the NRD infringes the basic rights of Malaysians in Sabah and if it is not rectified, UPKO must seriously review its position in Barisan,” said Bumburing, who is member of Parliament for Tuaran.
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From TheStar
Upko may review position in BN over woman’s case
KOTA KINABALU: Parti Upko is threatening to review its position in Barisan Nasional if the National Registration Department (NRD) fails to rectify its mistake of registering an elderly bumiputra citizen as a permanent resident.
Upko deputy president Datuk Wilfred Bumburing said that taking away the citizenship of bumiputras and forcing them to take permanent resident status displayed incompetence of a department rigged with controversies.
He said this in reaction to the dilemma of 78-year-old Sino-Kadazan woman Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin who lost her identity card (IC) in May, but NRD issued her a red identity card and asked her to apply for citizenship again.
“This action by the NRD infringes on the basic rights of Malaysians in Sabah and if it is not rectified, Upko must seriously review its position in the Barisan.
“To me, this is the last straw of the mess in NRD, that is turning locals into foreigners and letting foreigners become citizens,” said Bumburing.
Yong holds a native certificate issued in 1963.
She lost her original identity card (IC) on Feb 12 and made an application for a replacement.
She was issued a red IC a few months later, with NRD officials saying that it was normal procedure.
However, the mother of seven children went back to the NRD with proof of citizenship documents.
To her shock, an official at the NRD office admitted there might have been a mistake but advised her to apply for citizenship instead of the department rectifying it.
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From DailyExpress News
Illegals gain citizenship; Sabahans lose theirs
Kota Kinabalu: The United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) on Friday demanded that the National Registration Department (NRD) undo its mistake of turning a Sabahan Bumiputra into a Permanent Resident.
Its Deputy President Datuk Seri Wilfred Mojilip Bumburing said what had happened to 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin, a Sino-Kadazan, was simply outrageous and warrants Upko seriously reviewing its position in the Barisan Nasional if found to be not just an isolated case.
"How can this happen to a Malaysian citizen who was born here and holding a Native Certificate to prove her citizenship," he said.
He said that if the NRD had committed a genuine mistake, it should have reverted Yong's new status back to a Malaysian citizen right away.
"If the department had purposely committed the atrocious act, they must undo its gross mistake," he said, adding it is sending a bad signal across the nation, particularly to genuine citizens.
"Illegal immigrants can easily acquire MyKads that subsequently enable them to purchase Native Title (NT) lands.
"What is happening with the NRD? This is totally unacceptable. And if this is the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid we cannot guarantee protection to the genuine citizens," he said.
He said if the Barisan Nasional (BN) Government is not willing to look into this matter as well as into how illegal immigrants could mysteriously acquire Malaysian Identity Cards, Upko will take up the matter and fight for the people.
"If the NRD or government has no satisfactory answer, I strongly urge Upko to seriously review its position in the BN because an identification document is a very important matter as it shows their sense of belonging."
Bumburing said if the NRD is unable to handle Yong's case, Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar must intervene.
Yong's life had been turned upside down as a result of the NRD oversight and incompetence.
Her nightmare began when she lost her IC at a Supermarket at Penampang Baru on Feb. 12.
On the same day, she lodged a police report and subsequently on Feb 26, applied for a replacement IC at the NRD office in Donggongon.
After several months, she went and collected her replacement IC at the NRD office and was given a red IC.
She asked the officer why it was red and the lady officer said for senior citizens who lost their IC, the department normally replaced them with red ICs.
She didn't find anything amiss with the officer's explanation until she reached home when her children said red ICs were issued to people with Permanent Resident status.
With the help of her children, they brought the matter up with the NRD together with supporting documents such as her Native Certificate that was issued by the Native Court on Sept 24, 1963, bank books and passport.
The NRD officer admitted there could have been an error but instead of rectifying it, Yong was asked to "apply for Malaysian citizenship" which she duly complied by submitting an application form to the office on July 2, last year.
Her problem did not end there because soon after, her bank accounts at Amanah Saham Nasional and Alliance Bank were frozen making her unable to withdraw money for her daily expenses.
Fluent in Kadazan and Chinese, the mother of seven sons and one daughter can no longer travel outside the country as she could not renew her expired passport.
Strangely, she was allowed to cast her vote at Peak Nam Thong Kindergarten during the recent Mar 8 general elections using her driving license as identity document since her record in the polling list was still intact.
But her identification records at the Immigration Department, however, had completely "disappeared".
Everywhere Yong goes now, she only uses her driving license as proof of identity because she is too embarrassed with her predicament.
She now feared that her "new status" would have serious repercussion on her sons and daughter.
Resource Development and Information Technology Assistant Minister, Donald Peter Mojuntin who helped highlight Yong's case, said if it could happen to her, the children's citizenship could also be withdrawn.
"There has never been a case like this before when genuine Malaysians had their citizenship canceled. If this can happen to her, it can happen to anybody (Malaysians)," he said.
As Upko Bureau Chief for Citizenship and Security, the Moyog Assemblyman said he would be pursuing the matter with Sabah NRD Director and also with the Home Minister.
He said that for the NRD to admit their mistake and then asking Yong to reapply for citizenship is simply illogical.
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From DailyExpress News
'Let Sabahans head depts'
Kota Kinabalu: Both BN component PBS and opposition PKR said the case of a Sabahan Bumiputra being downgraded to that of a Permanent Resident highlights the need for both the State NRD and Immigration to be headed by Sabahans.
Parti Bersatu Sabah Chief Information officer Johnny Mositun said PBS had been calling for Sabahans to lead the two Federal agencies since they would be more familiar with problems affecting the local population.
At the same time, he said PBS had been lodging so many reports to the police and Anti-Corruption Agency (ACA) and also included lists of dubious Identity Cards (ICs) issued to illegal immigrants via false Statutory Declarations.
He said PBS is baffled that the National Registration Department could conveniently do so to a genuine citizen but not to illegal immigrants holding MyKads.
"Nothing seems to be done but now we have our own citizen having her citizenship reviewed easily and judging from the news reports her plight was also taken lightly by the NRD," he said in a statement, Saturday.
Mositun, who is a Deputy Speaker, was commenting on the plight of 78-year-old Yong Lee Hua @ Piang Lin, a Sino-Kadazan who was issued with a red IC with the status of a PR when she replaced her blue IC that she lost in a supermarket in Penampang Baru last year.
It was also reported that when the woman enquired about the mix up she was asked to "apply for Malaysian citizenship", instead.
This is despite a Sijil Anak Negeri (SAN or Native Certificate) issued on Dec. 5, 1963, verifying Yong's status as a Sino-Kadazan.
"We find Yong's case as appalling and unacceptable. It reflects badly on the system of the NRD. To me the information given by Yong should have been sufficient for her to get her original blue IC back," said Mositun.
He said if it was a case of the NRD playing by the book then "it should not be difficult for the NRD to do the same to review and revoke all the Malaysian ICs that have been issued to illegal immigrants".
"We want the Government to seriously look into this and rectify the glaring weaknesses in the NRD system urgently to safeguard the interest of Sabahans better," he said.
Meanwhile, Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) Sabah Deputy Chairperson Christina Liew also said both these posts should be replaced by Sabahans in view of what happened.
She said all Barisan Nasional (BN) component parties should also quit the coalition in protest over the manner in which genuine Malaysians in Sabah are being treated by the Department.
Liew believed what was done to Yong smacked of a hidden agenda as it is common knowledge that illegal immigrants entering Sabah through the back door can easily acquire Malaysian citizenship via the MyKad, IMM13 or PR status through authentic or dubious channels.
According to her, those illegals now in possession of the MyKad are in a privileged position such that they can secure Bumiputra status or apply for or buy NT land in Sabah.
Yong revealed her predicament at a press conference called by Resource Development and Information Technology Assistant Minister, Datuk Donald Peter Mojuntin on Thursday.
Liew concurred with Mojuntin that there was no reasonable explanation from the JPN as to why Yong's citizenship was changed to the status of a PR.
It is understood that applicants for red IC normally have to wait for 9-12 months for the outcome but in Yong's case it took merely a few months.
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