Case referred to Ministry: NRD
Published on: Friday, June 17, 2016
Kota Marudu: The case of 78-year-old Rita Joan Thompson whose plight was highlighted by Daily Express following her numerous failed attempts to get a MyKad has been referred to the Ministry of Home Affairs. "For her case, during the time she registered, she could not prove that she was Malaysian and we suspect that she was born outside Malaysia, perhaps in Brunei, we do not know," said National Registration Department (NRD) Sabah Director Datuk Ismail Ahmad. "Thus, the NRD at that time issued her a Red IC even though she declared her mother is a local," he explained.
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"I cannot revoke the jurisdiction of the previous law, but I have personally met her and found out that her Caucasian family used to work in an estate, I know the place and I know where they stayed."In her case, I have advised her to submit the citizenship application form under Article 19(1) of the Federal Constitution and have personally handed the form to her."She has already submitted the form and the file is now with the Ministry of Home Affairs and is awaiting approval from the Minister," he said when met during the launching of a MyKad printing machine here. "We have to bear in mind, that citizenship is not a right, but a government privilege, if the government grants it, then thank you, but if the government does not grant it, you cannot get angry, hopefully she does get it," he said.
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The plight of terminally ill Rita was published in the Daily Express in March this year after she sought assistance from the paper to highlight her problem. She was reported to have been given a MyPR (Permanent Resident) card despite being a native born in Bongawan, Papar when she applied for a MyKad (Malaysian citizenship) years ago.
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The mixed Bajau mother of four is the widow of Thomas Humphrey Paglar, the former Sabah Director of Civil Aviation and her mother the late Limah Awang was of Bajau descent.A month after her grievances were highlighted, another woman, Lai Yun Lan @ Amilik, a Sino-Dusun, 56, also sought assistance from Daily Express on a similar case. The Tenom-born woman claimed to have also been denied her right to Malaysian citizenship. Ismail said he has also advised Lai to submit her citizenship application form under Article 19 (1) of the Federal Constitution. "Her father is from the peninsula, while her mother is a Dusun, the issue of why she was not granted Malaysian citizenship is perhaps because she could not provide proof of marriage and birth place during those days, not now, but during those olden times. "I have done what I could to assist them, we cannot reverse the law applicable during those times, and it is not easy to find all the proof because their parents have passed away."Neither is it easy to prove that they are locals or not, of course some may claim that they are locals because either their mother or father are locals, but are they able to prove the marriage and birth place?" he said. He said there are those born in Singapore who are given Red IC, while some even Green IC, but NRD managed to settle because there are procedures to follow.Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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