MIRI: A total of 68 applications for identification documents were received by a Special Mobile Unit of the National Registration Department Office here during an operation conducted at Rumah Panting, Miri-Marudi Road to assist residents of the longhouse to apply for their birth certificates and identification cards.
Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Senadin, Public Complaint Bureau Chief, Erick Chin who is also Special Assistant to Datuk Lee Kim Shin said the operation was held in collaboration with SUPP Senadin Branch and Special Unit of the National Registration Department.
He said of the 68 applications received, 55 were received during the operation.
“Some of the cases were already registered with the Registration Department while some were non-native cases while the rest were not having supporting documents.
“The department took two days to carry out the operation assisted by the longhouse JKKK. We are glad that we did not face any problem communicating with the applicants and the programme ran smoothly,” he told reporters here yesterday.
Meanwhile, Erick Chin was saddened by the fact that many Sarawakians are still without identification documents.
He hoped that the authorities concerned would be ready to help the people who needed their guidance to process their applications and he also hoped that the problem could be solved.
Rumah Panting along Miri-Marudi Road is about half an hour’s drive from Miri City after the road has been upgraded.
“Among the question often asked by the longhouse residents who applied for identification documents was why they couldn’t get a clear explanation from officers at JPN branches in the rural areas.
“The applicants did not understand the application process so they did not ask for an explanation.
“Some of them are illiterate and could not understand what were written on the receipt of their initial application. By returning to the department office in urban areas caused them to incur huge expenses.
“Eventually they have to keep the receipt for a long time. With the noble effort of the government by forming a special mobile unit, the problem of having no identification document can be reduced,” he said.
