LAWAS, April 12 — Selangau MP Baru Bian has welcomed the Sarawak Cabinet’s decision to issue temporary documentation to eligible stateless children applying for citizenship under Section 15A of the Federal Constitution to support them in having access to education and health facilities.
Baru, who is also Ba Kelalan assemblyman, said the decision is in line with what he had said in the past that stateless children must not be deprived of their rights to education and the opportunity to equip themselves through learning.
“This is a welcome position taken by the state government and I applaud it.
“Whatever means or measures, I do not really care, as long as they are given the opportunity to go to school while their citizenship status is worked out,” he said when commenting on the matter.
Minister of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah had on Saturday announced that the Office of the Premier of Sarawak will be issuing temporary documentation to eligible stateless children applying for citizenship under Section 15A of the Federal Constitution to support them in having access to education and health facilities.
She said the state Cabinet had decided to provide whatever form of assistance within its power to such stateless children in Sarawak.
However, Fatimah pointed out that the special document is only meant to facilitate or assist the stateless person in applying for access to education and health facilities in the state.
She added it is not a representation nor a promise in any way whatsoever as a means of obtaining Malaysian citizenship, which the state government appreciates is a power vested in the federal government. — Borneo Post Online
