PETALING JAYA: The National Registration Department has denied that it has defied a High Court order to issue a MyKad to a 17-year-old known as CJ.
The department explained that the case involves document fraud dating back to the individual’s birth registration in 2008.
The department said it fully respects the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision dated Dec 8, 2025, which determined CJ’s citizenship status and ordered the department to issue the MyKad within 30 days of the application.
“The priority is to ensure that the court’s decision is implemented in accordance with the existing legal framework and registration procedures,” the department said in a statement on Monday (Jan 12).
The department stated that the case was complicated by the use of forged documents when CJ’s mother applied for a birth certificate. This involved an unauthorised birth confirmation allegedly issued by Taj Hospital, which has since been blacklisted by the department.
According to the department, these discrepancies formed the basis of inconsistencies in its records and were central to the dispute that eventually led to the court proceedings on CJ’s citizenship status.
“The department cannot issue a MyKad without completing the necessary correction and verification processes, particularly in cases involving prior document fraud."
The department explained that while the High Court ruling addressed CJ’s citizenship status, the issuance of an identity card still requires compliance with statutory procedures, including the late registration of an identity card for individuals aged 16 and above.
The department said CJ had attended the department's national identification card division counter in Putrajaya on Jan 8 to submit the court order and was provided with the relevant application forms and checklist. However, as of Jan 12, the forms had not yet been returned.
“There is no non-compliance with the court order. All actions are being carried out in an orderly, prudent manner and in accordance with the law,” the department said.
Addressing public concerns, the department also clarified that the requirement for witnesses in late MyKad registration cases is not limited to Members of Parliament or elected representatives. Acceptable witnesses include employers, community leaders, village head or government officers in the management and professional group.
The department reiterated its commitment to upholding the rule of law and the integrity of national records, stressing that all registration and documentation processes must remain accurate and compliant with the law.
CJ’s case drew public attention after the High Court ruled in December that the teenager was a Malaysian citizen and directed JPN to issue a MyKad.
Several lawyers have alleged that the department has deliberately delayed the process by failing to provide the youth with the relevant forms.
