KOTA KINABALU: The State Government will set up a Sabah Special Committee on Citizenship Status (JKKSK) and a Special Task Force to address issues of Sabah residents
without identification documents.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noor said the State Cabinet in its meeting today 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 post-cabinet meeting at Menara Kinabalu today, he said JKKSK will 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 will be jointly-chaired by the Home Minister and Chief Minister of Sabah while
the Sabah Registration Department and National Registration and Organisation Division,
Home Ministry will be joint-secretariat.
Hajiji said in relation, all applications will 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
document, 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.-pr/BNN
