KUCHING: The letter “K” inserted at the bottom right corner of the Identity Card (IC) of Sarawakians has long been a subject of interest, especially when issues on birth certificate, citizenship, employment and welfare benefits are raised.
Since becoming the Chief Minister in 2017 and then the Premier, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg has raised on a number of occasions how important it is to have the K-indicator for every Malaysian-born Sarawakian.
Just how many Sarawakians know why the letter “K” is picked and inserted into their ICs and even passport and its purpose?
And they may also wonder what is so significant and important about having the letter, which is actually the last letter of the name “Sarawak”.
Only Sarawakians, aged 12 years and above, have the letter on their ICs and passport to denote that they are truly from Sarawak. Sabah, on other hand, uses “H” which is the last letter of its name.
The letters indicate that the cardholders are permanent residents or Malaysian citizens of Sarawak and Sabah origins.
The insertion of the letters K and H is related to the separate immigration control accorded to the two Borneo states.
Malaysians from Peninsular Malaysians do not have such an indicator to denote the state in which they were born or came from.
Deputy Minister in the Premier’s Department (Labour, Immigration and Project Monitoring) Datuk Gerawat Gala, when asked to explain by the New Sarawak Tribune, said the letter “K” is to identify “us as Sarawakians”.
“With the letter on our ICs and passport, we have certain privileges provided for in the Federal Constitution and State laws and policies, right of residence and entry into Sarawak without the need for permit, unlike non-Sarawakians, and entitlement to social benefits provided by the state government,” he said.
He said the social benefits include the Endowment Fund Sarawak (EFS) that provides RM1,000 in savings to every Sarawakian-born child regardless of race, religion and socio-economic status and Post-Natal Assistance (PNA) of RM450 in cash to Sarawakian mothers after giving birth.
He said other benefits that go with the letter are the RM1,200 for every Sarawakian student in local universities, laptops, book voucher, flight assistance back to Sarawak for university students studying in other parts of Malaysia and repayment of Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional (PTPTN) loans for Sarawakian students who have repaid the minimum 30 per cent of their loans.
Gerawat said the letter “K” also entitles Sarawakian students to a free tertiary education when they take courses related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at state-owned universities starting next year, eligibility of those aged 60 years and above to the Kenyalang Gold Card initiative with health and death benefits, a RM10,000 subsidy for young people to purchase their first house and a recent basic necessity assistance for the poor (SKAS).
“These are among the benefits given by our state government to Sarawakians,” Gerawat said.
Women, Early Childhood and Community Well-being Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah recently explained the K-indicator for Sarawakians is based on conditions set by the National Registration Department’s National Registration Regulations 1990.
She said in line with Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, the letter “K” is given to a person based on their parents’ indicators, subject to the person’s original birth certificate.
Fatimah said individuals who are granted citizenship under 15(2) of the Federal Constitution are eligible to receive the ‘K’ indicator based on the mother’s indicator only.
She said if only the father has K-indicator, the director of the Sarawak National Registration Department’s approval must be obtained first before a child is granted the “K” status and citizenship.
Former Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang, in a statement posted on her Facebook page, said she has received complaints from a few adult individuals, who were born in Sarawak and have been granted Malaysian citizenship, having difficulties seeking employment in Sarawak because they do not have the letter “K” inserted into their ICs.
