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Penampang: More cases of Sabahans facing citizenship problems are being unearthed by the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) through its Citizenship and Security Bureau. One involves mother-of-three Alice Chui Pee, 52, who has been living in fear all her life as she feels like an illegal immigrant in her own country.
The reason she fears even stepping out of Kota Kinabalu is that she does not hold a blue MyKad but a Green Identity Card (NO. H8004791) which, it is learnt, is only given to foreigners. Her story began when she was born while her parents, who are Sabahans from Papar, were working in Singapore in 1956. Three years later, the family returned to Sabah, but unfortunately without getting her birth certificate in Singapore. Here, she received her education in SRJK Stella Maris and SM Stella Maris in Tanjung Aru. At the age of 24, Alice married Danny Lim who is a Sabahan and they have two daughters and a son. Due to her document problem, Alice missed her eldest daughter's graduation in Kuala Lumpur and chances are she will also miss her second daughter's graduation next year if her problem remains unresolved. The only time she travelled to Kuala Lumpur was in 1999 when the Immigration Department gave her through special terms and conditions the opportunity to accompany her second daughter for medical treatment. Alice has been trying to apply to have her Green IC changed to the Blue IC but on every occasion met a stumbling block. Moyog Assemblyman Donald Mojuntin, who is also Upko Citizenship and Security Bureau chief, said he was sad when told by Alice that she did not even get the chance to fill up the application form during her latest attempt early this year. "A personnel at the NRD counter just glanced through her documents and immediately refused to give her the application form. How is it that by a mere cursory look you can decide she cannot apply for citizenship?" he asked. Mojuntin said the NRD must be able to distinguish the problem and give opportunity to people like Alice to go through the process. "I am afraidÉif the police catch me where will they send me?" asked Alice, who was accompanied by her eldest daughter, Melisa, 27, who is a teacher. Another case highlighted to the bureau was that of a 52-year-old man, Stephan George who, like Alice, has Sabahan parentage but was born outside Sabah. He holds a Permanent Resident status to this day. "At that time my parents went to Brunei to seek greener pasture and I was born in 1956 there. After two years we returned to Sabah," he said. According to Stephan, his father first applied for his IC and citizenship in 1975, which was in fact the first of his many tries. "The answer I received was that my application was still being processed," he said, adding the time the department took to reply was also astonishing. He said he had on the request of Upko President Tan Sri Bernard Dompok re-submitted his application in 1997 but he only got the reply in 2003 stating that was his application was being scrutinised. Several letters seeking assistance on the matter were also sent by Mojuntin and Datuk Wilfred Tangau when he was the Tuaran MP to the Home Ministry in 2004 but there was no reply, he said. Stephan said he received a call from an NRD officer about two weeks ago and was told that his papers had been referred to the police for verification. "When I asked how long it will take she said she had no idea," he lamented. Stephan also revealed his application reference number 12071011-20080227-114402 and urged politicians who had been saying that cases like his were isolated to walk the talk. "I am not begging, I am just asking for my rights," he said. Stephan questioned the seemingly double standards practised by the relevant authorities in quickly processing and giving citizenship to people like sports people. "I know I am no footballer, I am not a badminton coach but I am a true son of the soil and it is my right to get my citizenship," he said. - Daily Express, Sabah
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