While hundreds of thousands of children will be entering school for the first time today, an estimated 49,000 children in Peninsula Malaysia alone will not be able to attend school because they are stateless, said PKR.
Its vice-president N Surendran (left) said the figure was derived from Putrajaya's census figures and it may be even higher once Sabah and Sarawak are taken into account.
"This huge figure amounts to a major education crisis in our nation," he said in a press release today.
Surendran said the problem lies with the federal government's denial of birth certificates and identity cards to some Malaysian born.
Among others was the case of Hari and Haran, a pair of orphans from Petaling Jaya.
They are presumed to be aged 12 and 14 respectively and have never been to school. Their shelter have repeatedly tried to enrol them in a school, but their request was denied as they do not possess identification documents.
The two boys were issued birth certificates after their plight was highlighted to MyDaftar campaign operators, but their citizenship status was listed as "yet to be determined", preventing from them from obtaining a MyKad.
“In Pulai, Johor, 9-year-old Sri Darchatinni, who is without a birth certificate, has once again been denied entry this school year. In Ipoh, Perak, 10-year-old Logeswaran Sarathrajan has never been to school despite his father's repeated attempts to enroll him,” he added.
Constitutional obligation
He claimed that even those allowed to attend school by sympathetic school administrations face obstacles as some are made to register as foreigners, pay additional fees.
Some then encounter problems registering for exams or enrolling in universities, such as B Reshina, 17, from Sentul.
Surendran explained that Article 14 of the Federal Constitution forbids any child from being rendered stateless in Malaysia, by virtue of Second Schedule Part II 1(e).
“Why have Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his government acted in contravention of the Federal Constitution? Why are children made to suffer?”
He stressed that Najib, Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the government must urgently resolve the crises, utilising all available resources.
Its vice-president N Surendran (left) said the figure was derived from Putrajaya's census figures and it may be even higher once Sabah and Sarawak are taken into account. "This huge figure amounts to a major education crisis in our nation," he said in a press release today.
Surendran said the problem lies with the federal government's denial of birth certificates and identity cards to some Malaysian born.
Among others was the case of Hari and Haran, a pair of orphans from Petaling Jaya.
They are presumed to be aged 12 and 14 respectively and have never been to school. Their shelter have repeatedly tried to enrol them in a school, but their request was denied as they do not possess identification documents.
The two boys were issued birth certificates after their plight was highlighted to MyDaftar campaign operators, but their citizenship status was listed as "yet to be determined", preventing from them from obtaining a MyKad.“In Pulai, Johor, 9-year-old Sri Darchatinni, who is without a birth certificate, has once again been denied entry this school year. In Ipoh, Perak, 10-year-old Logeswaran Sarathrajan has never been to school despite his father's repeated attempts to enroll him,” he added.
Constitutional obligation
He claimed that even those allowed to attend school by sympathetic school administrations face obstacles as some are made to register as foreigners, pay additional fees.
Some then encounter problems registering for exams or enrolling in universities, such as B Reshina, 17, from Sentul.Surendran explained that Article 14 of the Federal Constitution forbids any child from being rendered stateless in Malaysia, by virtue of Second Schedule Part II 1(e).
“Why have Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his government acted in contravention of the Federal Constitution? Why are children made to suffer?”
He stressed that Najib, Education Minister Muhyiddin Yassin and the government must urgently resolve the crises, utilising all available resources.
Surendran is among PKR leaders who are vigorously campaigningagainst Putrajaya's slow response towards addressing problems of statelessness.
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