State Assemblyman for Batu Kitang vented his frustration at the Federal government for not taking care of the plights of stateless Sarawakian children.

suppadmin | January 17, 2020

In a press conference yesterday, Lo said he wanted to make known his feelings of anger at the unfeeling Federal government who did not see the need to give citizenship to the stateless children whose lives are in limbo.

He said the Federal government should not let the children suffered at the mistakes of their parents who registered their marriage late. “They are innocent and made to suffer throughout their lives. Some under my watch is already 28 years old with no life. They are unable to go to schools, they have no mykad, no passports and not even a legal job. They are at the mercy of the employers who hired them illegally,’ he said.

Lo said he had handled over 30 stateless children and in the last 10 years, only four were successful in getting their mykad.

Jong Chee Kiat who is 21 has been doing odd job as he could not get a proper job or be paid through the bank as he did not have a mykad to open a bank account. He cannot travel due to lack of documents.

Lo said Chee kiat’s older sister who was also stateless had managed to get her citizenship three years ago. “The most ironic is that Chee Kiat has been with his parents and three siblings all these years. The worst is that, there is no reason why Chee Kiat cannot get his citizen,” said an angry Lo.

Asking if he will write to the Home Minister, Lo said there was no need as the National Registration have all the proper documents. He said there were parents who go to the National registrations for years in and out but still were unable to get the citizenship status for their children.