Education is something that we should never compromise. Pertubuhan Aduan Rakyat (PAR) Malaysia welcomes the decision made by Kedah state instructing schools to accept the intake of children without birth certificates.

If the children do not have birth certificates, the children are not at fault, instead it is the negligences of the parents, they are the one to be blamed for reasons unknown the childrens are left in welfare homes, etc.

We have many cases pending till today which we have submitted to the National Registration Department and the Home Ministry which are yet to get approval. We understand the law, but at the same time the government needs to pay serious attention to this growing issue of children born out of wedlock.

If children without birth certificates are not allowed to go to school and get proper education, we are indirectly allowing a virus to accumulate in the society. This is so because without basic education, these children could turn into rogues and gangsters and will be a waste in society. Is this the type of society that we want our children to live in the future?

The Kedah Menteri Besar, YAB Ahmad Bashah Md Hanipah, has made a bold statement in instructing schools in Kedah to accept children without birth certificates, and this action should be followed by every other state. Most of the time, the complaints we receive are children without birth certificates are not being accepted and more often they are from a poor background or from a welfare home.

PAR Malaysia hopes the Home Ministry could relax the law on Article 15A and shorten the waiting period of approval of Article 14 and 15A, because these children are not at fault. The government needs to resolve this on-going issues so that the children are not deprived of their right to be educated.

In line with the spirit and intent Article 15A, if one of the parents is Malaysian, citizenship must be granted, cutting the red tape. Unfortunately, this process takes up too much time and in many cases due to lack of documents, the child is deprived of his/her right of getting citizenship.

We urge the government to uphold Malaysia’s obligations under Article 7 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child on the right of every child to acquire a nationality. Article 14 confirms the status of a person born in Malaysia can apply for citizenship if the mother or the father holds citizenship as stipulated in the Federal Constitution.

PAR Malaysia is working on the ground vigorously to gather a database on the stateless born in Malaysia. The organisation is doing a special programme on ‘documentation’ nationwide and the next programme will be held in Raub on Jan 22, 2017 from 9am till 5pm. Those with such problems can visit PAR Malaysia and their staff at Dewan Jubli Perak, or Majlis Daerah Raub, Pahang.

PAR Malaysia recommends that for stateless children the identity of whose parents are not known, immediate measures must be taken to eradicate the growing numbers as their education and well-being are in jeopardy.

A CHANDRAKUMANAN is Pertubuhan Aduan Rakyat (PAR) Malaysia president.