MEKAR Enables Residents In Remote Interior Areas To Obtain Identification Documents - Saifuddin

JERANTUT, Feb 9 (Bernama) -- The National Registration Department (NRD) has taken proactive steps to go down to the ground, including rural areas, to ensure the registration of identity documents for qualified individuals can be carried out throughout the country via the Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (MEKAR) Programme. 

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the community service programme had helped many people with difficulties to attend NRD branches such as the disabled, the elderly, displaced patients and rural communities including the Orang Asli to obtain their rightful documents. 

"Today, we are in the Kampung Keniam Orang Asli village with the NRD to continue the MEKAR Programme which is an outreach initiative where the NRD goes to the ground to help resolve issues related to their identity documents.

"It is difficult for them to move and travel by boat (not only is it costly) it also takes a long time and disrupts the livelihood of these Orang Asli. 

He said this to Bernama after handing over MEKAR Community Identity Documents at Kampung Orang Asli Keniam, Taman Negara, Kuala Tahan, Jerantut here today in the presence of NRD director-general Badrul Hisham Alias.

The expedition to hand over the documents began with a full winding journey of almost two hours using a boat from the Kuala Tahan jetty down the river, trekking through the forest and seven rapids before reaching the village of the Orang Asli community of the Batek tribe in Kampung Keniam. 

The village, located in the National Park consists of 40 families with 220 residents, and would cost more than RM1,000 for transport (boats, rental cars and hotels) to the nearest town, Jerantut, for the registration of identity documents. 

"(This expedition) was an unique experience, extraordinary passing through the river current, against the flow of the Tembeling River and then the Keniam River. Several times I was also stuck, going against the current, taking up a little more time on the way.

"So, MEKAR is a success of a programme initiative to help the community because many parents do not register the birth of their children within the legal period of 60 days, MyKad application, some individuals have reached the age of 12 but do not have a MyKad, even though they have a birth certificate," he said. 

He said the rural community is increasingly aware of the importance of identity documents as valid documents are very important in various matters such as their children's school registration, obtaining assistance and treatment at government hospitals or clinics. 

"The MEKAR program clearly provides great benefits (where) the number (of applications) increases every year. For comparison, throughout 2024, a total of 2,311 MEKAR programs have been implemented. This figure is increasing every year because in 2023 it was 1,762 programmes while in 2022 it was (1,393) programmes.

"This trend shows that the MEKAR Programme has indeed had a high impact in helping the people, in line with the Prime Minister's intention to emphasise the MADANI approach in administration, based on the values of courtesy, sympathy and love in solving the problems of the people," he said. 

Apart from MEKAR Community, the programme is also divided into MEKAR Ihsan, MEKAR Identiti, MEKAR Pahlawan and MEKAR Diaspora.

In today's ceremony, Saifuddin Nasution handed over a total of 24 MyKads, 20 birth certificates to Orang Asli residents of the Batek tribe in the village, besides handing over six new MyKads to replace damaged ones to six applicants, including heart patients, cancer patients, the elderly and the disabled in Kampung Teresek. 

— BERNAMA