KUCHING: Thousands of citizens throughout the state are without an official identity document, with the National Registration Department (JPN) holding 18,461 approved MyKads as of Nov 3.
State JPN director Datu Abu Bakar Mat said the number of unclaimed MyKads fluctuated even though it stood at the said figure on the department’s record Tuesday.
“Most of the unclaimed MyKads came from the Kuching office where the number was 2,372, and this figure was accumulated since 2010. The least should be at the smallest office in Lingga with only 2 unclaimed MyKads,” he told a press conference at Bangunan Tun Datuk Patinggi Tuanku Haji Bujang in Simpang Tiga here yesterday.
Abu Bakar could not provide a detailed break-down on the unclaimed MyKads as he reasoned the department ran 52 branches across the state where records would be scattered.
He said the department reserved the right to revoke MyKad, if it is not claimed three years or so after approval.
“After three years, we can cancel the MyKad, but we try to reach out to the applicants by working closely with Resident and District Offices to spread the word.”
He conceded there were cases in which the reminder for collection delivered by the department did not reach the applicant concerned.
On registration of newborns, Abu Bakar said the department recorded 4,647 late applications in 2011. Late application is termed as ‘document sent 15 days after the birth’.
By standard procedure, he said parents would be expected to send the application within three days of birth.
He did not deny that most late applications are registered in remote areas where distance is an obstacle for rural parents.
“There are in fact a lot of factors, and I cannot say distance is not one of them. However, we do have mobile teams dispatched to remote areas to bring down the inconvenience.”
He added the JPN mobile squads had helped process 2,641 late applications in 2011, 1,725 cases last year and 488 cases so far this year.
Parents who fail to register their infant on time, he said, would be required to offer evidence or get the village chief to vouch for them.
“There will be a different application process to go through if they do not come to us within the required period. So, do it on time and we have mobile teams on regular visits.”