Hanoi:The absence of accurate data on individuals lacking identification documents presents a significant obstacle for the National Registration Department (JPN) in identifying Orang Asli and other indigenous communities who remain unregistered in the national system.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, JPN director-general Datuk Badrul Hisham Alias stated that the department can only identify these individuals when they seek JPN services, making it difficult to ascertain the total number of people without identity cards or birth certificates. This issue affects not only the Orang Asli in Peninsular Malaysia but also indigenous communities in Sabah and Sarawak.

At a press conference following the Registration Literacy Programme, held during the state-level 78th National Registration Day celebrations in Pos Balar, Badrul Hisham noted that over 30 applications had been received from individuals aged 12. He emphasized the importance of outreach programmes to engage rural communities, facilitating first-time identity card applications, replacements, and related documentation services.

Badrul Hisham highlighted that ongoing efforts are crucial to ensure access to documentation services for rural communities and to address registration neglect. During the programme, more than 30 Orang Asli children aged 12 applied for their identity cards for the first time through JPN's outreach initiative.

The response to services provided by JPN's mobile van has been positive, with many locals taking the opportunity to obtain identity card and birth certificate replacements. Badrul Hisham expects the number of first-time MyKad applications for 12-year-olds to rise as more residents continue to queue for services.

He detailed the Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (Mekar) programme as a key effort by JPN to reach rural communities and enhance access to identity documents. Besides first-time MyKad applications, JPN also offers services for replacing identity cards and handling birth and death certificate matters.

Additionally, Badrul Hisham reported that 263,608 permanent resident cards (MyPR), known as the "red MyKad," have been issued nationwide. This figure is cumulative since the document's inception, with an annual issuance of 10,000 to 12,000 new MyPR cards over the past five years.