KUCHING: Like any ambitious student, Liana Sari Santud, 20, from Sibu, wishes to pursue higher education. Her interest is accounting.
After successfully completing her foundation studies at a local university in Sibu in June, Liana is now preparing to embark on her degree programme, which will commence in September.
However, there is an obstacle – Liana does not have an identification card (IC) and her citizenship status has not been determined, which will hinder her from pursuing her dreams.
Highlighting her plight on TikTok, she explained her situation in a clip lasting 1 minute and 30 seconds, along with the caption: “I kindly request all of you to help me spread this video so that this issue gains public attention” and tagged several news outlets, the National Registration Department, ministers and even the Prime Minister himself.
Speaking to New Sarawak Tribune, the Iban lass said she does not have an IC since her primary school days.
“I entered primary school only with my birth certificate and I was grateful to be able to enrol then because my birth certificate had an identification number and the same goes for my secondary school education,” said Liana.
Her mother had applied for MyKAS in April 2022, but there has been no decision until now.
MyKAS is a temporary resident identity card issued under Regulation 5 (3) of the National Registration Regulations 1990. It is green with an expiry date indicated on the card and must be renewed within five years.
“Both of my parents do not have the blue identity card (MyKad) themselves as my grandparents did not have the opportunity to obtain identification documents during their lifetime.
“This makes it challenging for my parents to obtain identification documents.
“From primary school until university (foundation studies), I have relied solely on my birth certificate, which includes my identification number (KP) stated on it,” she said.
Of her four siblings, only her eldest brother was granted citizenship but he has yet to obtain an IC.
It was when Liana sat for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination that she was questioned by the invigilator on duty as to why she was using a birth certificate instead of IC.
Upon entering university, she had informed that she did not possess an IC yet as she’s still waiting for her mother’s documentation to be completed; nevertheless, she was allowed to enrol herself.
“The university doesn’t have any issue with it, but I might not be eligible for scholarships or a fee waiver. That’s not all, for exams like the Malaysian University English Test (MUET), IC is crucial.
“I will face difficulties in graduating later because I won’t be able to sit for mandatory exams like MUET,” she said.
At the time of writing, her video had garnered over 50,000 views.
