CAMPAIGN MY DAFTAR

YM Dato Raja Azahar, Deputy Home Affairs Secretary General chairing the Campaign

The Special Implementation Taskforce on the Indian Community together with the Ministry of Home Affairs launches a nationwide campaign from 19 to 26 February 2011. The objective is to document all undocumented Malaysian Indians who do not have relevant documents pertaining to their birth, identification and citizenship.

For a start the ‘My Daftar’ will seek to identify:

• Individuals who possess a birth certificate but have not applied for a ‘my card’
• Individuals who do not possess a birth certificate and therefore unable to secure a ‘my card’
• Children who do not possess a birth certificate and therefore unable to go to school
• Children and young people in residential homes run by the Social Welfare Department and voluntary organizations who do not possess sufficient documentation
• Individuals above 55 years of age, who were born in Malaya and who possess a red identification card
• Individuals who have applied for citizenship

YB Datuk Dr Subramaniam stated “that this is a major effort on the part of the Federal government to come to grips with an age old problem which is a major grievance among a sizable section of the Indian community. Through this campaign we are seeking to find a permanent solution to all Malaysian Indians who were not been able to secure the necessary documents thus far. He went on to thank the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Registration for their partnership and cooperation”

The Taskforce which was established by the Prime Minister has been holding a series of meetings with officials with the Home Affairs Ministry and Registration Department. In addition, earlier this year the Taskforce through a series of ‘meet the people sessions’ have already identified 902 cases of Malaysian Indians who have difficulties in securing the relevant documentation. These are currently at various stages of being processed by the Taskforce and Registration Department.

Dr Denison, Dato Raja Azhar & Dato Siva at Home Affairs Meeting held on Dec 29, 2010

Yesterday (Dec 29, 2010) YM Dato Raja Azahar bin Raja Abdul Manap (Deputy Home Affairs Secretary General) chaired a special meeting which was attended by all the Registration Departments State Directors and Indian community leaders from the MIC and relevant Indian NGOs (Hindu Sangam, DHRRA Malaysia & Tamil Foundation).  The Taskforce secretary Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria and Taskforce Consultant, Dato Siva Subramaniam presented a framework paper which was accepted by this special campaign committee.

Among the campaign strategies agreed upon are:-

• During the campaign period from Feb 19 to 26, 2011 the Registration Department office in thirty town in nine states (Kedah, Penang, Perak, Selangor, KL, Pahang, Negeri, Malacca & Johore) will set up special counters to process applicants from the Indian community.

• The Registration Department will document all individuals who come forward even those who do not have the sufficient supporting documents in order to ascertain the size of the problem needing solution

• The Registration Department will issue an acknowledgment letter with reference number for each case so as to monitor process and provide periodic updates to the national campaign coordinating committee at Putrajaya which is chaired by the Home Affairs Deputy Secretary General.

• The Registration Department has agreed to provide a status report on the cases received during the campaign period within two weeks after the campaign. The officials agreed to process all applications within nine months with periodic reviews every three months with the first progress report by May 2011 and subsequently in August and finally on Nov 2011.

• On the part of the political and civil society leaders, they agreed to identify the people with documentation problem at the grassroots and will bring them to the nearest Registration Department office.

• The community leaders agreed to host a series of briefing and planning meetings at the state and district levels (30 places) in preparing the volunteers to go to the ground, identify the individuals and their families. In addition to assist these individuals to come the Registration department office during the campaign period with the supporting requirements.

• The Taskforce together with its supporting organizations will launch an aggressive media campaign through the print media, radio, TV and internet including the support and cooperation of the Department of Information officials.

• The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a stern warning that no money must be collected from the people by way of assisting them in securing the relevant documentation. Home Affairs will investigate the complaints and will take necessary action on individuals who abuse this free service of the Federal government.



State Registration Department officials at the discussion

 The Taskforce secretary Datuk Dr Denison Jayasooria calls on all community leaders and NGOs to come forward to assist during this campaign period. This is an historical occasion which requires the utmost support of all parties concerned to find a lasting solution to the issues pertaining to documentation grievances among Malaysian Indians.

In addition he informed that the Taskforce Consultant, Dato Siva Subramaniam will be serving as the Campaign Coordinator and is available to meet those interested in participating in this nationwide national campaign.

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For further details please contact Taskforce secretariat officers Mrs Premala (03 8871 1280 or 03 8871 1371) and Mr Thana (016 295 7172)