Cancer patient in MyKad controversy passes away

 

Lina Samuel, a cancer patient whose MyKad was confiscated amidst disputes over her nationality, passed away at 7am this morning.

Parti Bangsa Malaysia’s (PBM) Agnes Padan, who accompanied Lina through her difficult journey, confirmed with Malaysiakini that she passed away in Lawas Hospital after being admitted last night with breathing difficulties.

“She was struggling with stage four colon cancer. She was in critical condition last night so she was admitted to the hospital at about 10pm,” Agnes said today.

Lina was 65 and is survived by two daughters and two sons who are stateless.

“Her family has brought her body back to the village in Long Sebangang in Lawas.

"But I’m not sure if the funeral will be held today as they are waiting for her sons to come back from Baram,” Agnes said.

Previously, Lina alleged that her identity card was seized by a National Registration Department (NRD) officer in November, 2022, when she visited the department to change her address in the lead-up to the 15th general election.

However, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution had said Lina’s MyKad was impounded by the NRD on Oct 8, 2019, because it found that she is not a citizen as her children's birth certificates showed that her nationality is Indonesian.

Lina is from the Lun Bawang group.

After a meeting with officers from Kuching NRD, she was issued a temporary MyKad, which would allow her to travel by air or land from Lawas to Miri where she was being treated for colon cancer.

However, Agnes revealed today that Lina had declined treatment in the past few days, saying that she was too weak.

Implicates three generations

It is also uncertain whether her citizenship status has been resolved.

“Until the day she passed, she (Lina) did not get back her MyKad.

“We hope that the home minister would look into Lina’s citizenship issue as it implicates three generations.

“Lina has suffered. Her four children are stateless despite them being born in Lawas and their children are also stateless. This is a big problem in Lawas.”

Lina’s citizenship issue has brought into focus that there are still thousands of Malaysians who have lived their whole lives in this country without formalising their citizenship.

This is very much an issue, particularly with small communities living in remote areas.

Statelessness in Malaysia is also further complicated by the fact that some indigenous groups may have their own customs and rules that do not align with national laws. - Mkini