Kota Kinabalu: The State Government will set up a Special Committee on Citizenship Status (JKKSK) and a Special Task Force to address issues of Sabah residents without identification documents.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the State Cabinet at its meeting Wednesday endorsed the formation of the JKKSK to scrutinise, ascertain, coordinate and assist in expediting new and backlog applications pertaining to citizenship issues under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution in the State.
Announcing this at the Chief Minister’s Department (CMD) post-Cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu, Wednesday, he said JKKSK would be entrusted to recommend the registration of children and anyone under 21 years as a citizen subject to Article 18 of the Federal Constitution – General Provisions on Registration.
“The decision to set up this Special Committee is due to rampant cases of children born in Sabah without documentation and IC (identity card) causing them to encounter problems such as going to school.
“Often times, these were due to negligence of their parents,” he said.
The JKKSK would be jointly-chaired by the Home Minister and Sabah Chief Minister while the Sabah Registration Department and National Registration and Organisation Division, Home Ministry would be the joint-secretariat.
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Hajiji said all applications would be screened and recommended to the Special Committee by the JKKSK - Sabah Panel jointly-chaired by the Home Ministry Deputy Secretary General and Sabah Home Affairs and Research Secretary.
As for the Special Task Force to address issues of Sabah residents without identification documents, the Chief Minister said it would be placed under the purview of the Committee of Foreigners Management in Sabah (JKPWAS), which is being co-chaired by the Home Minister and Sabah Chief Minister.
The Special Task Force to be chaired by the Home Ministry General Secretary and State Secretary is aimed at resolving the perennial problem of undocumented people in the State.
