KOTA KINABALU: Identification or citizenship documents are the purview of the Federal Government through the National Registration Department (NRD), not any state government or political party leader, says Parti Warisan.
Its deputy head of information Justin Wong, said NRD also needed to improve public awareness of the differences between various identification documents, such as MyKad and the temporary resident card MyKAS, to avoid confusion and defamation.
His comments were in response to an online allegation about the issuance of identification documents to non-Malaysians in Sabah.
It claims there is a letter showing Warisan president and former chief minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal’s alleged approval for a MyKAS to be issued to a resident from Kg Larapan Hujung, Semporna in 2019.
The letter purportedly asks for Shafie’s support in expediting the MyKAS issuance.
Wong said MyKAS is not a Mykad or a permanent identification document, but a temporary card allowing the holder to move around without being arrested for not possessing any documentation.
“It is for individuals born in Malaysia who have yet to obtain citizenship status because of incomplete documentation or unresolved nationality status.
“Besides, MyKAS has been around for many years. The NRD should come forward and explain,” he said when contacted on Thursday (April 3).
Wong said the letter had been circulated widely with allegations that Warisan, under Shafie's leadership, had facilitated the issuance of MyKAS.
He said the claim was baseless because even as chief minister, Shafie had no power to issue the document.
He also pointed out that MyKAS does not grant citizenship and has an expiry date, typically every five years, requiring renewal.
“Holders must complete their documentation within the given period; otherwise, the card becomes invalid,” Wong said, adding that holders would not have the same rights as Malaysian citizens, such as voting rights or bumiputra privileges.
“The claim that Warisan was involved in providing identity cards to illegal immigrants is a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and incite hatred,” he said.
Among those eligible to apply for MyKAS are those born in Malaysia but without citizenship; children of non-citizens born in Malaysia, such as the offspring of foreign workers, refugees, or stateless individuals; those awaiting official documentation for citizenship or permanent residence; and stateless persons.
