A couple in Kota Kinabalu, who had just welcomed a baby, was shocked when they were presented a costly medical bill.
According to The Star Online, the couple was charged the foreigner’s rate because the hospital reportedly refused to recognise their marriage certificate, which was issued by the Native Court.
As a result, the man, who is a farmer, was forced to sell part of his land in the northern Pitas district to settle the payment, Datuk Donald Mojuntin, secretary-general of Sabah Barisan Nasional’s component party Upko, was quoted by the news portal as saying.
According to Donald, Upko got to know about the farmer’s plight after a factory worker and his wife reportedly faced a similar situation recently, where they had to pay RM3,800 for the delivery of their third child.
The problem reportedly started following a Health Ministry circular in December 2014 recognising only marriage certificates issued by the National Registration Department (NRD), Malaysian High Commission, and the state Islamic Religious Council for the purposes of billing and registering births.
Couples who produce marriage certificates from these authorities would be charged about RM100 for normal deliveries at the hospitals.
However, Donald told the news portal that the NRD had formally recognised the legality of Native Court marriage certificate since 2009, adding that Upko would be highlighting the problem to the Cabinet.
