Malaysian-born Sarah Nor Varah Hanim Abd Mutalib turned 14 years old yesterday but she has not received her identity card, MyKad, after years of waiting because of her father's immigrant status.

Ironically, her father Abdul Mutalib Taib - an Indonesian with Malaysian permanent residency - was detained for two years without trial in 1995 under the Internal Security Act for allegedly forging identity cards in Sabah.

His own ID card was revoked two years ago by the National Registration Department (NRD) after he was arrested while attempting to collect his eldest son's MyKad. He was subsequently deported to Medan, Indonesia, in 2005.

The government has claimed that Abdul Mutalib's PR was revoked way back in 1996 but the family said they were not informed about it.

Sarah's mother Romita Hasibuan ( centre ) said a NRD officer had argued that her daughter was not entitled to her MyKad because her father had been declared a "prohibited immigrant".

Her 15-year-old son Maruly has got his MyKad while the other two younger kids - Yonatan Adam Fauzi, 11, and Ismael Syah Putra, 8 - have yet to apply for it. According to Romita, it "makes no sense" for authorities to deprive Sarah of hers.

"For a child of 12 and above, the receipt of their first national registration identification card is a big deal," said Romita in a statement.

"They show their friends and classmates their new MyKads but for Sarah, it has been traumatic as she could not show her friends and others her MyKad."

The homemaker said that Sarah was part of Malaysia's 50th Anniversary celebrations and had spent about three weeks for rehearsals.

"However, when a teacher asked for her identification card, Sarah could not show it to her. It was a very embarrassing and uncomfortable moment for her," she said.

Romita added that the original copies of Sarah's temporary identification papers have also been kept by the authorities and not returned to her despite repeated attempts to collect her MyKad.

Two suits filed

Romita subsequently filed a suit against Immigration Department director-general Mohamed Jamal Kamdi and 13 others, claiming RM28.9 million in damages for allegedly denying her children their rights as enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The family have also filed a RM10 million suit against Azmi Khalid, his ministry and the government for allegedly defamatory remarks about Abdul Mutalib.

Both cases are currently pending trial.

Romita's spousal visa had expired last year but she is currently allowed to remain in the country after the Kuala Lumpur High Court civil division granted an interim order that allows her to remain in Malaysia until both her law suits are disposed of.

Romita occasionally visits Abdul Mutalib in Indonesia where he works to help support his family based in Klang.

The family's lawyer Charles Hector said they have amended the suit to include Sarah's MyKad plight so that this matter could be resolved.