BM @ MY LNA Human Rights, Environment & Social Studies

67-year-old Goh Geek Eng got his first MyKad

ByE NEWSJune 11, 20231 Mins read166

Goh Geek Eng ( left) with her Mykad and passport. On the right is Chong Eng, Penang exco for social development and non-Islamic religious affairs

PENANG. 11 JUN 2023 – For 67-year-old Goh Geek Eng, this is her first Mykad. The days of living as a Malaysian without a blue IC is over.

Born in a fishing village in Port Weld, Taiping with a birth certificate in 1956, the years of hardship for not having a blue IC is finally over. Her application for a citizenship was finally approved end of May.

For more than 30 years, Goh’s late husband Oon Ah Kow helped her to apply for citizenship but the applications were rejected few times.

A day after Oon passed away on 28 March this year, Goh received a letter from the National Registration Department dated 29 March that the application was approved. However, the application made under Article 15 (1) of the Federal Constitution by a spouse became invalid as Oon, 78, had passed on.

A special citizenship assistance committee set up in 2013 and Penang exco Chong Eng helped Goh to submit her application again, based on a different clause under the Federal Constitution.

On Saturday, Goh was at the BM De Jiao Hui Zhi Ji Ge to pray her late husband and relay the good news to him that she was finally granted a citizenship.

“Oon can finally rest in peace now as I have received the blue IC,’’ said Goh.

Joining Goh were daughter Oon Wan Chen, Chong Eng and Lim Zheng Han, the coordinator of the Penang citizenship committee who is now a special assistant to Deputy Finance Minister Steven Sim.

Wan Chen said her mother’s brothers were also without Mykad. One of them received notification from the National Registration Department on the day his funeral was held while the other’s citizenship application was still pending.

Chong Eng said she followed-up with Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail over the matter few times and was told that the ministry would have to review the application case by case. She also suggested to Saifuddin that for senior citizens born in Malaysia where their parents are Malaysians, a policy should be made to expediate citizenship applications.