KOTA KINABALU: Sepanggar member of parliament Datuk Eric Majimbun accused the federal government of applying a different set of procedures when dealing with Sabah-born Malaysians and foreign-borns registering for birth certificates in the state.
He said the procedures adopted by Kuala Lumpur marginalised and discriminated against the people of Sabah, particularly those in the rural areas where many children do not have birth certificate.
Majimbun further alleged that when these applicants, with the assistance of local community leaders, finally get their documents, the National Registration Department (NRD) would stamp in red ink, the words ‘Late Registration’.
‘Late Registration’ refers to births not registered within the 14 days stipulated under CAP 123 of the Sabah Registration of Births and Deaths Ordinance.
When it is time for the holders of such documents to apply for identity cards (MyKad), they have to begin with first getting their certificates endorsed by a First Class Magistrate.
It is a procedure under the Sabah Births and Deaths Ordinance Cap. 123. 1953 which states that all ‘late registrants’ must go through the procedure in court presided by at least a First Class Magistrate but the same court requirements do not seem to apply to foreigners, he claimed
Majimbun, who is also Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) deputy president, said his recent query on the matter in parliament was not satisfactorily answered by the Home minister.