'Stateless' man drives north to see Sultan Azlan Shah

IPOH: It was their maiden trip to the city, but instead of enjoying the sights and staying in a hotel, R. Ragu, his 27-year-old asthmatic wife and their three children spent the first night sleeping in their car at a petrol station in Simpang Pulai, near here.

This is because they are not on a family holiday.

Instead, they are on a mission to meet with the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Azlan Shah.

"I need to see Sultan Azlan Shah because I need him to help me obtain a permanent identification document," he said at the office of state executive councillor A. Sivanesan here yesterday.

Out of curiosity, reporters had earlier asked him why he was at Sivanesan's office with his wife and children.

"The Sultan is my last resort.

"I have been given the run around by the National Registration Department (NRD) and all I want is just to obtain a MyKad for myself."

Ragu had driven with his family from Segamat in Johor on Tuesday.

He claimed that Home Ministry staff had told him to obtain a letter from the Perak ruler to support his application for a MyKad.

He said his problem started when he was abandoned by his parents at the age of 4 in Parit Buntar.

The police found him by the roadside and handed him to the Social Welfare Department, where he was cared for until he was 16 years old.

"Ten years ago, the department helped me to get a birth certificate in which 'Rajamani' was stated as my father's name and Bagan Serai, Perak, was listed as my place of birth," he said, adding that he did not know the real name of his parents or where he was actually born.

With the birth certificate, he was able to obtain a temporary identification document which had to be renewed every year.

However, in 2004, the National Registration Department declined to renew his temporary document.

After visiting the NRD headquarters in Putrajaya many times in the last four years, he received a letter from the Home Ministry in July which stated that his temporary identification document could not be renewed due to the government's instruction.

"The Home Ministry staff in Putrajaya told me to obtain a letter from the Sultan of Perak to support my application for a permanent MyKad because according to my birth certificate, I was born in Perak.

"I have sought the help of many senior politicians but no one could help me. I will wait for the Sultan."

Ragu said he had been unable to get a permanent job because of his "stateless" status.

His wife, G. Neelaawathi, is unable to work because of asthma and kidney problems.

Asked where he planned to stay until he could see Sultan Azlan Shah, he said he and his family would sleep in their car and shower at petrol stations.

"My family and I have put up with a lot of difficulties over the years... what is a few more days of hardship?"

Sivanesan, who met Ragu and his family yesterday evening, said that he would take Ragu to the Perak NRD to help him apply for a MyKad.