We refer to the Malaysiakini report MyKad: 'Security time-bomb' in Sabah . The National Registration Department (NRD) would like to clarify the comments from this report regarding matters related to the NRD.

For your readers kind information, based on the department’s record, only five identification documents (four MyKads and one old identification card) were referred to the NRD for verification as reported in the local dailies and not thousands of MyKads as claimed by Jeffrey Gapari Kitingan.

The department would like to stress that MyKads will be given only to those who are eligible based on the law and regulations. Therefore, the MyKads carried by illegal immigrants were most probably forged by irresponsible individuals.  

However, all forgery cases handled by the NRD are prosecuted under Regulation 25, the National Registration Act 1959 (Act 78) and Regulations. On the other matter relating to electoral rolls, this does not fall under NRD’s jurisdiction.

For enforcement and verification purposes, the NRD has issued more than 10,000 MyKad readers to various agencies such as the Royal Malaysian Police, the Road Transport Department and the Immigration Department to facilitate enforcement works.

Besides that, all financial agencies including the banks are now equipped with MyKad readers to verify the authenticity of MyKad holders before proceeding with transactions. The mobile card readers also have an online facility to access the NRD and the relevant agencies databases for verification.  

Therefore, the NRD would like to advice public and business establishments, especially those in the service and financial sectors, to be on the alert and to verify the identity of MyKad holders especially if such persons behave dubiously. This to prevent the misuse of the national identity card.

On the late registration of births, the NRD itself has procedures for registering cases of late biths and a statutory declaration is not the only document received as a basis for registering a birth. A documentation process and interview will be conducted to ensure that they are truly eligible for consideration.

The writer acts on behalf of the director-general, National Registration Department.