LAHAD DATU: Relevant authorities and enforcement agencies should take immediate action against a NGO alleged to be acting as a third party offering assistance with MyKAS applications and issuing “Stateless Cards.”Lahad Datu GRS Youth Chief Mohd Ar Razee Abdul Ham said the matter should be given attention to ensure people without complete identification documents were not taken advantage of.
“Although they may not have complete documentation, they are still human beings and we cannot allow outsiders to exploit them for profit,” he said in a statement.
Mohd Ar Razee said he received information that some individuals without complete documentation had allegedly borrowed money from family members or employers to pay up to RM3,500 for matters related to MyKAS and the “Stateless Card.”He said this could affect their lives and employment if they were forced to take on debt for services that should only be obtained through official channels.
“This is based on the experiences and information I have received from workers who contacted me and said they had borrowed money from their employers to deal with MyKAS and the ‘Stateless Card’, despite being advised to be cautious,” he said.
“Imagine someone on a low income having to borrow RM3,500. The money still has to be repaid and this can become a burden,” he said.
Mohd Ar Razee said the NGO is reportedly active in several districts, including Lahad Datu, Semporna, Pitas, Tawau, Sandakan and Kudat.
“We do not want this to continue until one day the group can no longer be traced and the Government is then blamed for failing to act despite knowing about the matter,” he said.
Mohd Ar Razee said MyKAS was not a document that granted citizenship, but an identification document with its own purpose and should not be equated with citizenship status.
He said some non-citizens in Sabah wanted to obtain documents to facilitate their employment and movement.
“Many of them work in sectors needed by the community, including plantations, the oil palm industry, domestic work, food shops, restaurants and other jobs,” he said.
He said documentation matters should be handled through the proper channels to protect those involved and prevent them from depending on unauthorised parties.
