RAWANG — A long and difficult wait came to an end for seven siblings today as they finally received their identity cards through a late registration process carried out by Malaysia’s National Registration Department.
The siblings, aged between 17 and 30, were handed their identity documents at their family home in Bandar Sungai Buaya, marking the conclusion of years spent without official identification due to administrative and legal complications.
Director-General of the National Registration Department Malaysia (JPN), Datuk Badrul Hisham Alias, said the delay stemmed from the failure to register the parents’ marriage, which directly affected the issuance of birth certificates and identity cards for the children.
He explained that the situation became more complex after the siblings’ father passed away in 2023, requiring additional verification through DNA testing involving close relatives such as uncles to confirm familial ties.
“Once the application was received, JPN requested the family to attend our office for verification through the Births and Deaths Division, followed by further investigations to confirm parentage,” he said.
The siblings received approval for late birth registration on December 8, followed by approval for late identity card registration on December 23, 2025.
According to Badrul Hisham, investigations including DNA testing confirmed the family relationship, while the parents’ marriage was re-registered and validated by the court, a crucial step before citizenship-status birth certificates could be issued.
“Once all legal requirements were fulfilled, birth certificates were issued, followed by identity cards,” he said.
The seven siblings are Ahmad Shahmil Ismail (30), Muhammad Fazril (29), Nur Hakimah (26), Nur Hakikah (24), Nur Laila (22), Nur Shakila (19) and Zakaria (17).
Badrul Hisham urged Malaysians to ensure marriages and births are registered in accordance with the law, stressing that registration is not merely an administrative formality but a fundamental safeguard for children’s rights.
He added that JPN recorded 9,528 late birth registration applications and 4,497 late identity card applications last year alone, highlighting the scale of the issue.
JPN, he said, will intensify outreach programmes and field operations this year to identify and resolve cases involving undocumented individuals.