KAPIT: The need to address the predicament of 729 stateless residents of Long Singut is of utmost importance, said Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr James Jemut Masing.
He said that the Malaysian government, particularly the National Registration Department (JPN) should mobilise a team to assist the people soonest.
He pointed out that the predicament of the stateless residents must be addressed once and for all.
“I was helping the Long Singut residents who have no identification and thus, are stateless.
“The residents migrated from the Kalimantan back in the 1960s; they are the second and third generation residents of Long Singut.
“Their children cannot study beyond Form 5 even though they managed to obtain good results. As adults, they cannot seek employments because they do not have identity cards (ICs),” he said.
The problem needed to be addressed immediately as it would affect the nation’s human resources, Masing added.
“Unless we settle these problems soonest, we could be accused of not being caring or attentive to our fellow human beings. We will lose valuable human resources, too,” he said.
Masing was in Long Singut to visit the residents on April 5 and he was accompanied by Bukit Mabong district officer Douglas Pungga.
