12-Year-Old Girl Mahalachimi Attempts Suicide After She Was Denied A MyKad
The National Registration Department (NRD) refused to issue a MyKad to a 12-year-old Malaysian girl because she has a different skin tone compared to her mother. Is this a discrimination, or a precautionary measure by the NRD?
By Mei Mei Chu — 22 Nov 2013, 04:57 PM — Updated almost 11 years ago
Mahalachime Finally Got Her MyKad!
A tearful 12-year-old was at a loss for words after getting her MyKad from the National Registration Department here Tuesday.
thestar.com.myShe received the document from state NRD director Mohd Zahari Hassan at the latter's office at 12:30pm today.
nst.com.my
Shortly after getting her document, S. Mahalachime was asked to comment on how she felt, but she began shedding tears of joy and shied away from journalists. Her 60-year-old mother V. Kamlla hugged her and started sobbing as well.
Jariah explained that there was a delay because they had to verify the parental link, as both the mother and daughter had different ethnic features. “We conducted our own investigation and found that the girl was really her daughter and were prepared to process the application. But instead of going to NRD the mother went to third parties (to complain),” she said.
themalaysiantimes.com.my
Mahalachimi Swallowed Bleach After Being Teased About Her Failure To Get A MyKad
The girl swallowed about 10ml of bleach at her home in Taman Harmoni in Buntong on Saturday evening after constant teasing from her schoolmates and neighbours after her application for a MyKad was rejected two months ago.
thestar.com.myBuntong assemblyman A. Sivasubramaniam said the girl had consumed bleach after she was teased by her friends over her failure to obtain the MyKad.
nst.com.my
“Everywhere she goes, people teased her saying that she could never get her identity card, and that her complexion was fairer compared to her parents,” her aunt said, adding that the girl’s mother stayed at another house in Jelapang.
thestar.com.mySivasubramaniam said the girl was responding to treatment. However, the extent of the damage to her internal organs can be known only in a few days' time.
nst.com.my
National Registration Department (NRD) In Perak Denied Issuing A MyKad To 12-Year-Old Mahalakshmi Because She Is Too Fair
National Registration Department (NRD) In Perak Denied Issuing A MyKad To A 12-Year-Old Girl Because She Is Too Fair
Image via freemalaysiatoday.comAn Indian Malaysian girl from Jelapang, Ipoh has been denied a MyKad just because she looks like a Chinese, Sin Chew Daily reported on its front page.
Twelve-year-old Mahalakshmi and her mother Kamala, 60, bemoaned their fate at a press conference called by Buntong state assemblyman A.Sivasubramaniam.
fz.com
The Girl Has Lighter Skin Complexion Compared To Her Mother, Leading The NRD To Question Their Relationship
"The officials said the girl’s skin colour was different from her mother and that she looked like a Chinese.
fz.com
They Confiscated Her Birth Certificate
Sivasubramaniam was quoted as saying that National Registration Department (NRD) officials rejected the girl's MyKad application and confiscated her birth certificate when she applied for her MyKad at a NRD office three months ago.
And Requested Her To Do A DNA Test To Confirm Her Relationship To Her Mother
A 12-year-old girl and her mother in Perak was told by the National Registration Department (NRD) to undergo a DNA test before getting her a MyKad.
The reason; she looked fairer than her mother.
The mother, V Kamala, 60, told Tamil Nesan that the Perak NRD asked her to undergo a maternity test to prove that she is the biological mother of S Mahalachemi, due to the difference in skin complexion.
.“I was shocked when the so called officer asked(me) to do maternity test just because we have different skin colour,” she said.
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However, The Girl's Family Refuse To Do The DNA Test As It Is An Infringement Of Their Privacy
He claimed that NRD had also requested the girl to undergo a DNA test, which the family refused on grounds that it would infringe on her privacy.
fz.com
The girl, who is the only daughter in the family, showed a photocopy of her birth certificate in the press conference which clearly stated her parents’ names and race.
fz.com
The Mother, 60-Year-Old V Kamala, Does Not Understand Why They Would Not Accept Her Valid Birth Certificate
"Kamala doesn’t understand why there wasn’t a problem when they applied for Mahalakshmi’s birth certificate (12 years ago)," he said.
fz.com
She added that the NRD is deliberately delaying the application for unknown reasons.
“Why would they require us to do a DNA test for a MyKad when my daughter has a valid birth certificate?” Kamala asked. On the wide age gap between her and Mahalachemi, Kamala said that she gave birth to Mahalachemi when she was 47 years old.
Buntong Assemblyman A Sivasubramania Wants The NRD To Issue The MyKad To The Girl Immediately
Contacted later, Buntong assemblyman A Sivasubramaniam claimed he witnessed how NRD treated Kamala.
“I was the one who brought the family to the NRD department after the latter seized the daughter’s birth certificate in their previous visit.
“However, we managed to get a new birth certificate for Mahalachemi. During the second visit, the deputy director, known as Premah, told the family to undergo a DNA test before applying for MyKad,” he added.
Sivasubramaniam urged the NRD to issue the MyKad immediately as Mahalachemi would be attending secondary school next year
Buntong Assemblyman A Sivasubramania Wants The NRD To Issue The MyKad To The Girl Immediately
Image via malaysiakini.comNRD Public Relations Officer Jainisah Noor Say They Might Issue Mahalakshmi A MyKad Under "Special Circumstances"
Later, when the reporters contacted the NRD, its public relations officer Jainisah Noor said the department had probed the case.
She said NRD might approve Mahalakshmi’s application "under special circumstances".
She denied that NRD had insisted that the girl should undergo a DNA test, but declined to say anything more about the case so as to protect the applicant’s personal information.
NRD had asked the mother and daughter to be present at its office yesterday but they did not turn up, added Janisah.