APS says NRD’s 2.8mil figure questionable
Published on: Sunday, July 14, 2019
By: Mail Mathew
KENINGAU: Angkatan Perubahan Sabah (APS) reiterated doubts about the accomplishment of the National Registration Department (NRD) to record 2.8 million natives in the State.
Its vice-president Paul Kadau said the figure is doubtful especially when there are only a few thousand natives in the Interior.
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“We do not want to make any blind accusation but based on the information that we received, there are many foreigners who obtained identity documents through dubious means,” he said in a statement.
“That is why we need a detailed population data in a certain area as well as its annual increase percentage before the authorities accept any birth registration application.
“It is very unbelievable that there are 2.8 million locals who applied for the late birth registration…this is questionable.
Who are these 2.8 million people?”
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Sabah NRD Director Datuk Ismail Ahmad in a statement, earlier this year, said that the department recorded 2.8 million natives in Sabah, and of the figure, 46,165 have submitted late registration application within 18 years.
Paul also proposed to the NRD to list out the names of the villages involved in the late registration application as well as the number of applicants.
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“It is as if the people are being fooled as the natives in the State are the ones who reside in Sabah before the formation of Malaysia on September 16, 1963.
“From where did the State NRD Director get this 2.8 million? If they are genuine natives, then this is a failure on NRD’s side on handling birth registration efficiently.
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Ismail was reported as saying that among the reasons for the late birth registration is the location of the applicants’ homes which are far from towns.
Births in the State should be registered between 14 days and 42 days. In Sabah, Ismail said, there are still many natives who have yet to register their births, especially those living in the interior areas and islands.