STOP DISCRIMINATING SARAH,AND GIVE THIS MALAYSIAN CHILD HER MYKAD

MEDIA STATEMENT 24/9/2007

STOP DISCRIMINATING SARAH,
AND GIVE THIS MALAYSIAN CHILD HER MYKAD

24th September 2007 is Sarah’s 14th birthday, and she, who applied for her MyKad (National Registration Identification Card) on 30/11/2005, has still not received her MyKad. All her other classmates and friends had got their MyKads about a couple of months after they made their respective applications.

Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib applied for her MYKAD (National Registration Card) after she reached the age of 12, as is required by law to be done by any Malaysian child, whereby Sarah’s application was made on 30/11/2005.

Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib and mother, Romita Hasibuan have repeatedly gone, amongst others on 14/2/2005, 15/3/2005, 20/4/2005 and 20/9/2006 to the relevant offices to collect Sarah’s MyKad but to date Sarah has still not been given her MyKad. Her original copies of her temporary identification papers have also been wrongly retained – and not returned to her.

One officer also commented saying that Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib is not entitled to be given her MyKad because her father has been declared a “Prohibitted Immigrant” (“imigran yang tidak diingini”) This is not right.

For a child of 12 and above, the receipt of their first national registration identification card is a “big deal”. They show their friends and classmates their new Mykads – and for Sarah, it has been traumatic as she could not show her friends and others her MyKad.

Recently, Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib, was part of Malaysia’s 50th Anniversary celebrations whereby about 3 weeks was spent for rehearsals and all, and again when a teacher asked for her identification card (or MyKad), Sarah again could not show it to her. It was a very embarrassing and uncomfortable moment for Sarah.

Sara’s status as a Malaysian citizen has also been acknowledged by the Minister in Parliament – and this DISCRIMINATION against this child must STOP.

Rather than file yet another suit to get justice for Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib, the family has decided to apply to amend the pleadings of Sivil Suit No: S4-21-239-2005, Maruly Azis & 5 Yang Lain -v- Dato’ Mohd Jamal bin Kamdi & 13 Yang Lain, and hope that the court will allow this amendment so that this matter could also be resolved in the same case. The application to amend pleadings has been filed today.

Maruly Aziz Bin Abd Mutalib has got his Mykad – and as such it really makes no sense or justification as to why Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib is being deprived her MyKad. Very soon the 3rd child, Yonatan Adam Fauzi Bin Abd Mutalib, will also be applying for his MyKad and we hope that he will not be subjected to similar difficulties and trauma.

Thank you.


Romita Hasibuan
(also on behalf of Abd Mutalib Bin Taib,
Maruly Aziz Bin Abd Mutalib, Sarah Nor
Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib , Yonatan
Adam Fauzi Bin Abd Mutalib and Ismael
Syah Putra



BACKGROUND
Abd Mutalib Bin Taib, came to Malaysia since 1978. Since the early 80s, he had a valid Entry Permit and a “Permanent Resident” status. On 23-3-2005, while accompanying the eldest son Maruly Aziz for the application of his National Registration Card (Identity Card), Abd Mutalib Bin Taib was suddenly wrongly arrested, detained and deported back to Indonesia on 29/4/2005. Romita Hasibuan (the wife of Abd Mutalib, An Indonesian national, living in Malaysia since 80s by virtue of a spouse visa) and Abd Mutalib Bin Taib, have got 4 children - Maruly Aziz Bin Abd Mutalib (14+ tahun), Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Binti Abd Mutalib (13+tahun), Yonatan Adam Fauzi Bin Abd Mutalib (11+tahun) dan Ismael Syah Putra (8+ tahun). It is indisputable that the 4 children are Malaysian citizens.

The public petition to Re-Unite the Family of Maruly Aziz collected over 7,000 signatures, and there are 2 court cases filed and pending at the Kuala Lumpur High Courts – i.e. Sivil Suit No: S4-21-239-2005, Maruly Azis & 5 Yang Lain -v- Dato’ Mohd Jamal bin Kamdi & 13 Yang Lain and Sivil Suit No S3 - 21 - 230 - 2005 Abd Mutalib Bin Taib & Romita Hasibuan -V- Dato’ Azmi Bin Khalid & 2 Lagi