KENINGAU: Rural and interior communities are urged to use the Mobile Court programme to resolve issues involving valid identification documents, particularly late birth registration applications.
The initiative is aimed at addressing the logistical challenges and financial burden often faced by villagers who need to travel to government offices located far from their villages in towns or major urban areas.
Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister and Sook Assemblyman Datuk Sri Arthur Joseph Kurup (pic) said incomplete identification documents or late applications remained a longstanding challenge in Sabah.
If not addressed effectively, the issue could affect residents’ access to necessities such as education, healthcare services and various forms of government financial assistance.
“Late birth registration remains widespread in Sabah. Therefore, the Government is taking a ground-up approach by bringing services directly to villages so the issue can be addressed effectively and fairly,” he said after officiating the programme at Kampung Karamatoi, Sook.
According to him, the Mobile Court’s presence in interior areas gives residents a valuable opportunity to verify documents, make statutory declarations and obtain legal certification without having to bear high travelling costs.
He said this move demonstrated the continued commitment of the Government and judiciary to ensure that no segment of society was left behind in terms of legal rights and valid citizenship status.
The Mobile Court initiative is an inclusive legal service aimed at bringing the judiciary closer to the people.
Through the service standardisation approach, the process of verifying identity and legal status can be carried out more transparently, systematically and efficiently at the grassroots level.
The Government said it would continue to strengthen strategic cooperation among various agencies to ensure that legal and essential registration services such as these could reach people in rural areas directly.
