Irene Chang
SIBU (June 22): The National Registration Department (JPN) should allow online applications for document registration in view of the prevailing Movement Control Order (MCO), said Bukit Assek assemblywoman Irene Chang.
She said with the state embracing digitalisation as it heads towards a digital economy, it should be the normal course of time before all applications to government departments would go digital.
“There is therefore no reason why this has still not been put in place and being practised by JPN especially when it has already been more than one year since the Covid-19 pandemic hits,” she said in a media statement.
Chang said if online applications were available, it would also minimise the necessity for physical attendance by both staff and customers.
“It will also reduce overcrowding and heavy traffic at various counters when the departments are opened after the MCO is lifted.”
With the MCO being extended June 28, she said the operation hours of the government sector remain uncertain due to the fluidity of the Covid-19 situation.
Currently, she said any case which requires prompt registration by JPN can only be made after a request has been made to the ‘Bilik Gerakan’ (operations room) who has to assess the urgency of the circumstances under which the request is made.
She said only when the ‘Bilik Gerakan’ has approved the request, the physical appointment would be set up with JPN personnel to process the registration.
“Though the request is usually promptly and professionally attended to by ‘Bilik Gerakan’, it is troublesome and time consuming,’ she added.
Adding on, Chang said the online application should be made available during the various MCO periods especially for the application for the death certificates for those who died during the MCO period and the issuance and replacement of identity card.
“If online application is available, the registration of death would avoid being late registration of death after the MCO has been lifted.
“In the event of the late registration, this would delay the issuance of the death certificates as they have to be sent to Kuching for such issuance and would take more than two to three in spite of their earlier assurance than it would only take 20 days.”