The Sabah National Registration Department (NRD) has urged political parties, especially elected representatives, to provide information related to citizenship matters, especially of those in rural areas.

Its director, Ismail Ahmad, said this was an appropriate way for NRD and political parties to work together and solve related issues which were frequently politicised.

Moreover, as political parties were close to the people, they could assist the NRD to identify citizens who had yet to obtain birth certificates or MyKad, he said.

"We estimate there are about 20,000 citizens who have not obtained proper identification documents. We believe Parliament members and assemblymen have identified more," Ismail told reporters after receiving a courtesy call by a team from the citizenship bureau of the United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) in Kota Kinabalu today.

The team was led by Upko information chief Donald Peter Mojuntin, who is also state assistant finance minister.

Ismail said the state NRD was aware of the troubles which people in remote areas faced to get to the nearest NRD office. Therefore, he said, a mobile unit was set up to reach out to them.

   

Mobile unit

He said the mobile unit made its visits based on information obtained by offices of elected representatives or local authorities.

On the issue of phantom voters in the electoral roll, Ismail said the names of citizens registered with the Election Commission (EC) were genuine based on the NRD registration.

However, he noted that although his department worked closely with the EC to eliminate deceased voters, they still faced problems with unregistered deaths.

- Bernama