IPOH: The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is to set up a special committee to resolve the cases of children without birth certificates.

The advisor to the ministry, Datuk Shamsiah Abdul Rahman, said yesterday the committee would comprise representatives from government agencies such as the National Registration Department and the Social Welfare Department as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

The ministry had also decided to implement a special programme to facilitate the registration of children without birth certificates, she told reporters at the Arutperum Jothi Welfare Home in Buntong, here.

It was reported recently five children from the home did not have birth certificates and, as such, could not enrol in schools.

Shamsiah said under the special programme, parents or guardians of children without birth certificates could register their births at designated places announced by the ministry.

“These children should bring along valid documents as proof of their birth in Malaysia, such as documents confirming the place of birth from hospitals or documents from witnesses if they were born at home. The parents have to bring along documents such as their MyKad and birth certificates,” she said.

She said the special programme had been implemented in Kuala Lumpur, twice in Chow Kit and once in Setapak, with the assistance of NGOs such as Yayasan Salam Malaysia and that between 70 and 80 children with birth certificates had been registered.

“We plan to expand the programme to the whole country and have contacted the Social Welfare Department in every state to launch the operation,” she said, adding that the participation of NGOs and volunteers was necessary for the programme to be successful.

Shamsiah also said the registration of the five children without birth certificates at the Arutperum Jothi Welfare Home could begin right away, but added not all of the cases could be resolved immediately as there was a need for certain valid documents.

Four of the children, K Tharsini, 11, siblings N Dineshkumar, seven, N Roja, seven and N Pandian, eight, have their place of birth documents from the hospital while S Velan, 11, does not have any such document.

— Bernama