Special Committee And Task Force To Address Undocumented Residents of Sabah

KOTA KINABALU, Sept 4 – The state government will establish the Sabah Special Committee on the Status of Citizens (JKKSK) and special officers to address the issue of residents without identity documents.

President Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor announced that the local leaders have approved the establishment of the JKKSK, to review, expedite and assist new applications pending for citizenship, under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution. “The decision to establish this committee is due to the worrying number of children born without education in Sabah, resulting in problems such as difficulties in enrolling in schools. This problem often stems from the neglect of parents,” he said in a statement. The statement was issued after a meeting of the president’s leaders, at Menara Kinabalu.

Hajiji said that JKKSK will be chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs and the President of Sabah, with the National Registration and Organization Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Sabah Registration Department acting as joint secretary. “JKKSK will be responsible for preparing the registration of children and persons under the age of 21 as citizens, according to Article 18 of the Federal Constitution – General Provisions on Registration,” he said.

He said a special task force would be set up under the Sabah Foreign Affairs Committee (JKPWAS), chaired by the Minister of Home Affairs and the Chief Minister of Sabah, to address the long-standing problem of undocumented residents in the state. The officers will be the Secretary General of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Secretary of State of Sabah.