Kota kinabalu: The Home Ministry has advised Sabah residents facing issues with undocumented children, resulting from irregular marriages, to apply for citizenship for their children under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution. The Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, emphasized the ministry's readiness to assist, although applications will undergo thorough scrutiny, including data collection.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the applications will be managed by a joint committee comprising the Special Committee on Citizenship Status by the Sabah government and the Home Ministry. The committee, which has already held two meetings this year involving Saifuddin and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, has approved several applications in compliance with the law. Saifuddin reiterated the importance of lawful marriage registration to prevent children from becoming victims of irregularities.

Saifuddin highlighted the government's commitment to proper governance through the establishment of the joint committee. He also mentioned that applications must be registered with the Chief Minister's Department and require confirmation from local authorities, such as the village headman, where the marriage took place. He stressed the necessity of reorganizing and re-registering marriages with the Islamic Religious Department, even if they occurred long ago, to facilitate the approval process for identity documents.

Saifuddin underscored the importance of not penalizing children due to documentation issues, which affect their access to education and healthcare. He urged collaboration between state and federal governments to effectively resolve the problem.

In related developments, Sabah is preparing for its 17th state election, with voting scheduled for November 29 and early voting on November 25. The Election Commission (EC) reports that 1,784,843 voters are eligible to participate, including ordinary voters, military personnel and their spouses, and police personnel and their spouses.