A 58-year old man who has lived in Selangor all his life is now facing obstacles on the path to obtaining a basic right: to finally have his own Identity Card.
Muhammad Abdullah said he is destitute, and possesses no identity papers of any kind, not even a birth certificate, which has made his official registration as a Malaysian citizen all the more dificult.
“With the help of a few individuals, I’ve managed to put in an application at the Selangor branch of the National Registration Department (JPN), but they haven’t gotten back to me so far,” he told Sinar Harian’s Tuan Buqhairah Tuan Muhamad Adnan.
He also claimed that both his parents – an Indian father, and a Malay mother – died during the May 13 race riots in 1969.
Muhamad said he only actively sought to get himself properly registered seven years ago, when he wanted to secure his own funeral arrangements ahead of time.
“I was worried that without the proper documentation, I might be given a non-Muslim burial.
“When I was younger I never really thought about applying for an IC; I was too caught up with stuff I was doing with friends,” he said.
The lack of an IC had made Muhamad’s life a hard one.
He claims to have been cheated in money transactions, and was not paid wages when he was employed as a security guard.
His right as a citizen to receive federal medical assistance and treatment have also been denied him.
“I once went in for a health check, and found out I had high blood pressure, but even that consultation cost me RM15.”
Muhamad, who is currently unemployed, depends on a friend with similar medical conditions, and splits the prescribed medication his friend receives between them.
“I have to cut my recommended doses by half, to save money,” he explained.
“I would really like to get an IC.”
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