A 66-year-old granny and her 6-year-old grandson have been facing a lot of obstacles in their lives and studies because of their stateless status. The grandson is not able to enroll into any national school while the granny's applications for financial assistance from the Social Welfare Department (JKM) and the government's low-cost housing have been denied. The frail granny feels helpless, anxious and distressed.

Widow Fong Lan, who is a diabetes patient, has two sons and five daughter. Her eldest son has been imprisoned while the younger son is not having a stable job. She has to subsist on the monthly living subsidies given by her five sons-in-law. But as all of her sons-in-law are low income earners, she tried hard to apply for a financial assistance from JKM before, hoping to lighten their burdens.

However, she would get the same response at the final stage of her applications: “You are not a Malaysian citizen. Your application is denied.” Again and again, her hope was destroyed.

Fong got a red IC when she was 13 because of her incomplete birth certificate. She tried to apply for a blue IC for many times but failed.

Fong was born in Kuala Kangsar. Her father was a fortune teller and they had no fixed abode. She was busy working after her parents passed away and had no time to make application. Until a decade ago, her sons-in-law started to help her to seek assistance from some local elected representatives and political parties. Unfortunately, they have received no reply from the authority.

Fong again started to make citizenship applications after her husband passed away last year and she was unable to get the financial assistance from JKM.

She said that as she is not a Malaysian citizen, she can only earn a meager income by doing odd jobs. She never enjoys benefits for qualified employees.

Meanwhile, Feng's grandson Xu Jinshui received only a “not citizen” birth certificate because they did not provide complete information during his birth certificate application. It has cause him a problem to enroll into any national school.

In order to reapply for a birth certificate for Xu, the child's uncle and aunt held a press conference on 9 Sept with the assistance of DAP to find his missing mother, Chen Yuezhu who has left home for many years, so that they could get the complete information required for the birth certificate application.

Chen showed up the next day and the application is now in process.

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Worry about not being able to get it

Red IC holder Lee Sumei, 79, has been waiting so long for a citizenship status and she is worried that she might not be able to get it forever.

Lee was asked to go for an interview and Bahasa Malaysia test, but so far, she has not received any reply yet.

“My friend drove me from Sg. Lembing to Kuantan (about 45km). It was really toilsome to me,” said Lee.

“I told them (National Registration Department officials) that I can come only this time. I can't stand the ride. It will be best if I can get it but if I can't, then just leave it!” she added.

Grey-haired Lee was born in Sg. Lembing on 20 June 1930 and she lost her birth certificate during the Japanese occupation era.

“Life was bitter in the past. My biological father sent me to a family and I was raised there. Thus, I don't have a birth certificate.

“But I was born and raised here. Why do I have no rights of citizenship?” she said.

She hopes that her citizenship application will be approved so that she can enjoy senior citizen's benefits. (Translated by SOONG PHUI JEE/ Sin Chew Daily)

Do you know?

Do you know that not all “red ICs” are red in colour?

According to the information given, just like others, the ICs of some red IC holders are blue in colour. However, the status of “WARGANEGARA (citizen)” is stated beneath the picture of ordinary MyKad holders while “PEMASTAUTIN TETAP (Permanent resident)” is stated for red IC holders.

In fact, the National Registration Department also issues another version of red IC. It is blue in colour with the “Permanent resident” status printed in red, at the most visible place of the card.

There is another version of red IC in which it is blue in colour with four red dots printed in the middle of the card, and the “Permanent resident” status indicated beneath the picture.

Other than the permanent resident card, the National Registration Department as well issues another type of MyKad, namely “temporary IC”. It is also blue in colour with the status of “PEMASTAUTIN SEMENTARA (temporary resident)” stated beneath the picture.