No birth certificate, girl faces PMR bar

2009/10/01

BACHOK: A poor student faces the risk of being barred from taking her Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR) examination next week, all because of her parents' failure to report her birth 15 years ago.

A brother who is due to take his Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) next year might also face the predicament because of the same problem, while an elder brother missed school because of poverty and the lack of proper identification papers.

Haryani Ismail, 15, is studying in Form Three at SMK Pak Badol while her younger brother Hazwan, 11, is in Year Five at SK Pak Padol here.

Their mother Zawahir Mat Daud, 54, said another 11 children, now aged between 25 and 40 years, have identity cards.

"We were living in Kuala Krai when Haryani, Hazwan and their brother Hazlan were born. My husband was too occupied with his work in clearing a rubber smallholding and did not report their births," she saide.

Her husband Ismail Noor passed away in August, 2001.

Zawahir said Hazwan and Haryani also did not get assistance for poor students provided by the government as they need birth certificates to open their bank accounts.

"I am grateful to the headmasters of their schools for allowing them to study and assisting them to get other forms of help.

"However, I am worried that Haryani and Hazwan will not be able to sit for their exams as they do not have identity cards. I want them to continue studying so that they will have a brighter future," she said.

Zawahir said her other children were working but earned just enough for themselves.