GEORGE TOWN: For 71 years, Derrick Philip Emuang lived in the country he called home without being recognised as a citizen.
For the Taiping-born father to finally receive his MyKad in 2024 brought more than a sense of belonging – it also opened the door for his 16-year-old daughter Diana to become a Malaysian, sparing her the lengthy citizenship struggle he had endured.
Emuang, a Eurasian born and raised in Malaysia, had previously held only a red MyPR card despite many of his siblings having obtained Malaysian citizenship.
“My father served in the army in Singapore before retiring and moving to Malaysia.
“I am the fourth of his 12 children. Many of my siblings received their blue identity card, but I did not.
“Because of this, I could not receive a proper education and did not enrol in secondary school.
“I worked as a contractor until I retired, and it was difficult for me,” he said.
Emuang’s citizenship became crucial to Diana’s application, as the family wanted to ensure she would not face the same dilemma.
A student at SM St Xavier’s, Diana had previously been treated as a foreign student, with her family paying RM120 a year in primary school fees and RM240 a year in secondary school.
Her second application was approved on Jan 27, after the first attempt was rejected in 2017.
She received her citizenship certificate on April 20 and her MyKad three days later.
Diana can now focus on her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examination next year and plan for further studies, with the possibility of entering a local public university.
The happy news has also brought hope for 53-year-old Lisa, an Indonesian-Chinese, who can now look forward to officially registering her marriage to Emuang in Malaysia.
Recalling how the family approached him for help two years ago, Pengkalan Kota assemblyman Wong Yuee Harng said Emuang’s citizenship issue stemmed from a technical error involving his name, which prevented him from obtaining a blue IC.
“Derrick was born here, lived here and grew up here, but he was not recognised as a Malaysian.
“We wanted to break this wall and prevent the same difficulties from being passed on to the next generation,” Wong said.
He encouraged others facing similar citizenship issues to continue pursuing their rights.
“Regardless of race or skin colour, if you are eligible and entitled to Malaysian citizenship, you should not give up your basic rights,” he said.
