Malaysian man fights for identity after 30 years without birth certificate or ID card

For over 30 years, Muhd. Amirul Asyraf Abdul Aziz has navigated life in Malaysia without the fundamental documents of a birth certificate or an identity card (MyKad). The 33-year-old from Kampung Apal faces a prolonged struggle for citizenship recognition, stemming from complications surrounding his parents' marriage registration, which was allegedly linked to a syndicate.

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I'm like living as a refugee in my own country because I don't have identification documents.

His quest for official identification began in his teenage years, involving numerous trips to the National Registration Department (JPN). However, he remains without the necessary documents. To prove his birth, he needs to present witnesses, including the midwife who delivered him in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, and seven other individuals who can attest to his birth. Compounding the difficulty, the midwife has reportedly passed away, and efforts are underway to locate her heirs for confirmation.

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Every time during Raya, I go to Rantau Panjang to try and find birth witnesses, but many have already passed away, including my aunt who was a birth witness.

The absence of these documents has profound consequences. Muhd. Amirul Asyraf describes feeling like a "refugee in his own country," unable to access essential services such as healthcare at clinics or hospitals. His education was cut short after the third grade due to the lack of a birth certificate and ID card. Despite repeated setbacks and moments of near despair, he continues his pursuit for a secure future.

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I only managed to attend school until the third grade before I had to stop because I didn't have a birth certificate and identity card.

His mother, Suryah Zakaria, 60, explained that the marriage, solemnized in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan, by a Thai religious official, was later deemed invalid by the Malaysian Islamic affairs department due to alleged marriage fraud. This invalidation created the insurmountable hurdle for her son's documentation. Muhd. Amirul Asyraf's situation highlights the deep-seated challenges individuals can face due to administrative and legal complexities, impacting their basic rights and access to societal services.

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I never thought that the issue with the marriage certificate, which was allegedly involved in a syndicate at one time, would cause my son to bear the consequences until adulthood.