Saturday January 22, 2011
Maniam gets citizenship after 40 years
IPOH: Estate helper M. Maniam (pic) was born under a rain of bombs dropped by the Japanese during World War II.
Maniam said his father had no chance to register his birth then.
“My father told me that it was a scary time as there were explosions everywhere.
“He was afraid to go out because the Japanese army had landed,” said the 70-year-old who was born in Teluk Intan.
Maniam said he had been unsuccessfully trying to obtain citizenship over the past 40 years.
This is despite the fact that both his parents and eight siblings are Malaysians.
Maniam’s long wait finally ended yesterday when he received his citizenship from Perak National Registration Department director Alias Mamat.
“I am glad to have finally gotten a MyKad,” he said.
