Liew urges KDN to approve citizenship application of 65-year-old man born to Malaysian parent

16 July 2022

By Wartawan Nabalu News

KOTA KINABALU: The Home Ministry (KDN) has been urged to re-look at one particular application for Malaysian citizenship from Sabah, which deserves consideration and approval without further delay.

Making the call, former Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Christina Liew said it is a unique case involving a permanent resident (PR) who by right should be a Malaysian citizen by virtue of having a Malaysian father.

The Tawau MP cum Api-Api Assemblywoman said Ling Man Kit @ Ling Vun Ket, 65, was born in Hong Kong to a Chinese national mother and a Malaysian father who was born in Kimanis, Papar in 1927. His parents brought him to North Borneo (now Sabah) when he was only 16 months old.

"As related to me, initially, Ling was given a Malaysia blue identity card (IC) (KPP: H6005204). In 1975, when he was 18 years old, he applied for a new IC.

"Instead, he was issued a MyPR Malaysia card (MyPR Number 570430-71-5167), according to him. In 2018, he applied for a MyKad identification document, and received a letter dated September 20, 2019 from the Citizenship Division, National Registration Department (NRD) under the Home Ministry, Putrajaya.

"Based on the content of the letter, his application was being looked into by the department concerned before being presented for consideration and the would-be outcome.

"However, until today, the Ministry has not informed him of the result of his application. I call on the Home Ministry to immediately re-visit Ling's application for Malaysian citizenship status, and approve the application," Liew said in a statement on recently.

The Api-Api Assemblywoman had written to the National Registration Department, Sabah in April this year, inquiring about the current status of Ling's application for MyKad.

"I am given to understand that Ling was advised by a source in the department to call up the Home Ministry himself.

"Is this a new norm?" asked Liew. "Not that I know of. Ling is a retiree who suffered a stroke some years ago. We should not subject him to unnecessary stress and a sense of helplessness."

Basically, she said, NRD Sabah ought to assist him in checking out the status of his application and find out what needs to be done (if any).

"The idea of asking any applicant to communicate directly with the Home Ministry is definitely not in line with NRD Sabah's client service charter 'Rakyat di Hati JPN' (People are in the Heart of JPN). Please live up to the ideal of 'People First, Performance Now'," a disappointed Liew added.