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SIBU: Sarawak hopes to see better results from its efforts to help undocumented persons apply for citizenship through monthly meetings with the Home Ministry.
State Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah (pic) said she paid a courtesy call on Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in Kuala Lumpur last week.
"He agreed (to form) a verification committee to facilitate the application for documents.
"He also consented to have a special committee meeting in Kuching on Aug 16," she told reporters on Sunday (Aug 4) after opening a children's centre here.
She said with the committee set to meet monthly, applicants could easily learn what documents they need before sending in their citizenship applications.
"I feel that this way, we can help them verify their applications and advise them on what supporting documents they need.
"I (believe) that this monthly meeting will shorten the time (taken to process) their citizenship applications," she added.
Fatimah, who will be joint chairman of the committee, said it would screen all applications received ahead of each meeting.
"I don't have the number (of applications to be screened for the first meeting) as they are with the National Registration Department. We will only know during the first meeting," she added.
