Yap says Fifa’s shocking revelation alleging the use of falsified citizenship was a “national embarrassment”. – Photo by Chimon Upon
KUCHING (Oct 9): The Sarawak government should be granted greater administrative power to issue birth certificates directly through a state-managed system that is integrated with the National Registration Department (JPN), said Wilfred Yap.
The Kota Sentosa assemblyman said this would enhance the accuracy and authenticity of local birth data; prevent fraudulent claims of Sarawakian ancestry in citizenship applications; and expedite the resolution of stateless cases involving children genuinely born in Sarawak.
“This proposal is consistent with the spirit of the Malaysia Agreement 1963 (MA63) and the principle of administrative devolution championed by the Sarawak government in recent years,” he said in a statement.
He was commenting on Fifa’s revelation that forged documents were allegedly used by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) in the registration of seven Harimau Malaya ‘heritage’ players, including Jon Irazabal Iraurgui who was listed as having ancestral ties to Sarawak through his supposedly Kuching-born paternal grandfather.
An investigation by football’s world governing body discovered that the original record listed Viscaya in Spain as the grandfather’s actual birthplace.
Calling on the federal government and the Ministry of Home Affairs to conduct a full investigation into the matter, Yap said Fifa’s shocking revelation alleging the use of falsified citizenship was a “national embarrassment”.
“What is even more unacceptable is that Sarawak’s name was among those falsely cited as the birthplace of one player’s grandparent to justify Malaysian citizenship eligibility.
“This is an act of deception that insults Sarawak’s integrity and questions the credibility of federal verification processes,” he said.
“If Sarawak’s name can be falsely used in documents relating to citizenship or ancestry, it underscores a serious flaw in the federal verification process, which currently centralises citizenship and birth registration matters under federal agencies.”
Yap argued that such lapses would not occur if Sarawak were granted greater administrative and operational control in verifying citizenship-related records originating from the state.
He said empowering Sarawak to issue its own birth certificates through a state-managed system integrated with the JPN would not only restore confidence in the integrity of Malaysia’s citizenship system, but also honour the commitments made to Sarawak under the MA63.
He pointed out that under the MA63 and the 18-Point Agreement signed prior to the formation of Malaysia, Point 6 explicitly provides Sarawak with control over immigration matters.
“This means Sarawak has constitutional autonomy over immigration. This power is found in Article 161E of the Federal Constitution, which prevents Parliament from altering this right without the consent of the Sarawak Legislature,” said Yap, who is a lawyer by profession.
He said Sarawak’s rights under the MA63 are not symbolic but legal guarantees designed to protect the state’s identity, integrity, and autonomy within the Federation of Malaysia.
“As Sarawakians, we believe in fairness, honesty, and good governance. Strengthening Sarawak’s authority in birth documentation and citizenship verification is not merely about autonomy; it is about protecting Malaysia’s integrity and ensuring that every legitimate citizen is recognised lawfully and transparently,” he said.
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