Ahmad Zahid (centre), together with Dr Sim (fourth left) and other leaders toss the ‘yee sang’ to welcome a prosperous new year. Also seen are Awang Tengah (third left) and Masing (fourth right).
KUCHING: A special taskforce will be set up to immediately address the issue of stateless members of the Chinese community in Sarawak.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the longstanding problem would be handled by the National Registration Department (JPN) with the assistance of district offices and relevant agencies across the state.
“The taskforce will register non-citizens of Malaysia residing in Sarawak and (will be) confined to Federal Constitution Clause 19 (1),” he said during a Chinese New Year celebration with the community yesterday.
Ahmad Zahid was responding to the issue raised earlier by Minister of Local Government Datuk Dr Sim Kui Hian.
“This is a similar taskforce set up to address the stateless problem, which has affected other communities like the Iban, Indian and many other races, not only here but also in Sabah and the peninsula.”
Ahmad Zahid acknowledged that those who were born in Sarawak and had lived in the state abiding by the law should be eligible to become citizens of Malaysia according to the Federal Constitution.
He pledged that the federal government would seriously address the problem, and called on all political parties and non-governmental associations (NGOs) in Sarawak to also put concerted effort into resolving the issue.
“I am here to assure (everybody of) our federal government’s commitment to assist this group of people,” he said.
“I hope we can all come together. We work as one. The taskforce will handle the matter immediately and I hope my officers as well as resident’s and district offices will assist to smoothen the process.”
Among those present at the celebration were Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr James Masing, Second Minister of Resource Planning and Environment Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Minister in Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri, Deputy Home Minister Masir Kujat, and Temenggong Datuk Tan Joo Phoi.