PH govt promises to help disabled Ulu Baram widow obtain MyKad

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Zuraida (second left) shows reporters Rose’s red IC. At left is Dr Teo while Rose is at right.

MIRI: The Pakatan Harapan (PH)-led federal government has promised to assist disabled widow Rose Sulau Tugau, 58, from Long Selatong, Ulu Baram obtain a blue Malaysian citizen MyKad to enable her to receive government assistance.

She is a Malaysian, but when she replaced her old IC, she was given a red IC which is for permanent resident. As her old blue IC was not recognised anymore, she cannot receive any government assistance which is normally given to the disabled.

Yesterday, Housing and Local Government Minister Zuraida Kamaruddin visited Rose at her house in Kampung Pasir here to see her living conditions and the type of assistance to be given to her.

“She does not have any children to help her and this is also making her living situation more difficult,” Zuraida told reporters during the visit.

Rose has an adopted son who works in Kuala Lumpur. She does have relatives but most of them live far away in upper Baram, and they cannot afford to assist her financially.

The Kenyah woman has been living alone in her dilapidated house in Kampung Pasir, Lutong here after her husband died of brain cancer in 2016.

Rose is unable to walk due to a severe back pain caused by spinal injury and most of the time she moves around by crawling. When there is a need for her to go out, particularly for follow-up medical treatment, she would use a wheelchair donated by generous people.

Zuraida meanwhile, instructed Miri MP Dr Michael Teo to write to the ministry to explain Rose’s situation and help her get back her blue IC.

“I’ve told Dr Teo to write a letter with all the details to the ministry. Her (Rose) siblings are all Malaysian citizens and are holding the blue MyKad, so this is proof that she (Rose) is a genuine Sarawakian.

“For the time being, as she is not qualified to receive government assistance due to the citizenship status in her red IC, Dr Teo has been providing her assistance on a monthly basis,” the minister added..

Rose changed her identity card at the National Registration Department (NRD) in Kuala Lumpur when she visited her adopted son in Peninsular Malaysia a few years back. Since then, she has not been able to enjoy the same rights as her three siblings who have Malaysian citizenship because her citizenship status had been changed.