KUCHING, July 8 — Sarawak will propose to the Home Ministry to revive the Special Committee on Citizenship to resolve the issue of stateless or undocumented children.
Sarawak Welfare, Community Well-being, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah today said a meeting with Home Minister, Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin would be sought on re-establishing the committee, which was terminated on July 2, last year.
“With the committee back, we can help screen and ensure that the (citizenship) application documents are genuine and complete to be supported before being forwarded to the National Registration Department and Home Ministry.
“This will ease the Home Ministry’s workload in processing the applications,” she told reporters after chairing a meeting on stateless or undocumented children at her office, here.
She said until July 2 last year, 717 applications to obtain citizenship for children under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution had been forwarded to the committee which was established in 2016. — Bernama
