Kota Kinabalu: Two Filipinas were sentenced to two years’ jail each on Monday for providing false information in identification card replacement applications.
IMM13 holder Murada Rabung, 32, and paperless Nor Hasna Paisal, 19, pleaded guilty before Magistrates Lovely Natasha Charles and Jessica Ombou Kakayun, respectively.
Murada and Hasna were found to have committed the offence during the replacement application for an identification card bearing the serial numbers 960622-12-5050 in the name of Nazira Eranza; and 950320-12-5056 under the name of one Erah Eranza, respectively, at 11.30am on July 21 this year at the Identification Card Division, National Registration Department (NRD) here.
NRD prosecuting officer Mohd Naser Mohd Nadzeri in presenting the facts of the case said that the registration officer had informed that there were two women who submitted applications for replacement using identity card information suspected to not belong to them.
The courts heard that a check on both women’s thumbprints on the application forms found that their fingerprints did not match with the identity card records in the names of Nazira and Erah, who were siblings.
Muranda’s and Hasna’s thumbprints also did not refer to any NRD records, said Mohd Naser.
Murada was found to have an IMM13 document as her identification document while Hasna was found to have no identification, said the prosecution.
Both Murada and Hasna, who were not represented, requested for a fine instead.
Murada added that she has four school-going children while Hasna said she had a six-month-old baby girl who was still breastfeeding.
Mohd Naser applied for a heavier sentence as a lesson for them as well as to the public at large.
“The offence of attempting to make a replacement application for a lost identity card using details belonging to other people who are Malaysian citizens can have various negative impacts on the real owner of the document if it is successfully issued to the accused and can affect the sovereignty of our country.
“The attempt of a non-citizen, especially an illegal immigrant (PTI), to obtain a Malaysian identity document fraudulently is something that needs to be taken seriously.
“If this identity document belonging to someone else is successfully obtained by a non-citizen, it can have a negative impact on the true owner of the document.
“Among the negative impacts that will be experienced by the real owner of the document are such as government assistance that is special for Malaysian citizens can be seized by impersonators, the rights of a citizen are denied because the document has been used by impersonators.
“This will certainly have negative implications and affect the administration, economy, security and sovereignty of our country,” said Mohd Naser.
Both Murada and Hasna were ordered to be referred to the Immigration Department after serving their sentence.
They were charged under Section 25(1)(b) of the National Registration Regulations 1990 (Amended 2007), which carries a jail term of up to three years or fine of up to RM20,000, or both, on conviction.
In another case, a man was fined RM1,000, or two months’ jail for assaulting another person.
Kho Zi Jun pleaded guilty before magistrate Jessica to attacking one Chong Chung Moi, who suffered injuries the elbow and wrist, at 3pm on March 26 this year.
The charge, under Section 323 of the Penal Code carries a jail term of up to one year or a fine, or both, on conviction.
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