The Star reported on Wednesday April 28, 2010
KUANTAN: A backbencher has lauded the efforts made by the state Registration Department personnel who went on the ground to help with the process of citizenship applications in Pahang.
Datuk Chuah Boon Seong (BN-Mentakab) said that many of the applicants in his constituency had applied for citizenship in the 1970s and 1980s.
He said the department’s district offices were no longer accepting the citizenship application forms and the documents must now be submitted to the head office in Indera Mahkota here.
“I praise the officers for taking the initiative to come to my constituency in Mentakab and help facilitate the process,” Chuah said when debating the motion of thanks on the royal address at the state assembly here.
When Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob stood up to seek clarification on the category of the applicants so proper action could be taken to speed up the matter, Chuah said most of the applicants were born in Malaysia but were not accorded citizenship.
He added that he had met the department director to discuss the matter including bringing the applicants to Kuantan by bus, but it was eventually agreed that the officers would go to Mentakab instead.
At this point, Datuk Lau Lee (BN-Damak) took the floor and said that it would not need to be that way if the department had continued to allow its district offices to accept the forms.
“It is a hassle for applicants from outstation to come to Kuantan merely to submit the forms,” he said.
Leong Ngah Ngah (DAP-Triang) then stood up and said he agreed with Lau. “He (Lau) is a foe but he is also a friend,” Leong said, referring to the latter’s views on the matter.
Leong said that previously, he would only need to bring applicants from his constituency to Bera but now they had to travel to Putrajaya for the purpose.
He supported Lau’s suggestion for the department to delegate powers to its offices in the districts so that they could accept the forms. — By ROSLINA MOHAMAD
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