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Hundreds of indigenous bumiputera in Sarawak still stateless Modified3:38 am - SPECIAL REPORT | Sarawak prides itself as a state that has kept away undocumented migrants, but in its own backyard, many of its natives are stateless. This is especially the case for the Penans, who for generations have faced obstacles in obtaining citizenship, in part due to excessive bureaucracy. The issue is complicated by their nomadic culture and compounded by rural poverty, limited Bahasa Malaysia literacy, and inability to afford the luxury of travel to National Registration Department (NRD) offices in town. The Penans are the last nomadic indigenous people residing mostly in Baram, Belaga, and Ulu Limbang, located more than 200km from Bintulu via rural roads. ....
Issue of statelessness still unresolved Pix for illustration purposes. SARAWAK has prided itself as a state that has kept away illegal immigrants, but in its own backyard it finds itself in a bind with a host of problems related to its own people. Many indigenous people remain stateless, especially the Penan who have been waiting for decades to be accorded Malaysian citizenship and to be recognised as citizens of Malaysia. Long delays and excessive bureaucracy on the part of the National Registration Department (NRD) have left many applicants in the lurch and their citizenship woes run into three generations. The issue has been made difficult by their nomadic culture, and compounded by rural poverty and illiteracy as most Penans cannot read nor write in Bahasa Malaysia. Almost all of them cannot afford the luxury of travel. ....