KAMPAR: After years of waiting for three of her children to get their MyKad and identification documents, 39-year-old Mashitah Kamarulzaman can finally heave a sigh of relief as the matter will be resolved soon.

According to Mashitah, only her daughter Nur Qaseh Ashika Hariandi, 13, has her own MyKad while her three siblings do not.

“It was during my confinement that my husband’s aunt brought me to the National Registration Department to register Nur Qaseh’s birth.

“I admit that it was my own fault I didn’t register my other children.

"However, I hope people can understand how difficult it is for us since we don’t have transportation and we have financial problems,” she told a press conference held by Perak communications, multimedia and NGO committee chairman Mohd Azlan Helmi Helmi at her house at Kampung Tebing Tinggi, Malim Nawar on Monday (July 3).

Mashitah, who works as a restaurant assistant, said her eldest son Mohamad Harudin, 22, and Nur Ashikin, 21, are now doing odd jobs.

“They are afraid to go out because they don’t have MyKad.

"They repeatedly asked me to solve the matter since they want to look for jobs and help us financially.

"My youngest, Mohamad Haikal, nine, tells me he wants to go to school. He has been mocked by the neighbours' children for not going to school.

“The situation has also affected Nur Qaseh. She has not been going to school because her classmates called her names like poor, uneducated and useless,” she said.

Besides taking care of her own children, Mashitah is also raising four nephews and nieces.

“Two of them are also not in school. Their mother is currently serving a prison sentence and will be out in 2025.

“I know people might wonder why we are willing to take care of them considering our own situation. But I don’t have the heart to leave them alone.

“I am also taking care of my bed-ridden mother who is suffering from third stage ovarian cancer," she said.

Mashitah said her husband is an odd-job worker.

“Both of us did not finish schooling and we regret it until today.

"Therefore, I hope my children can finish their school and help us to change this family’s fate,” she said.

Mohd Azlan Helmi, who is also Tualang Sekah assemblyman, said various agencies have been working together to resolve the situation.

“The family had told me about the problems and I understand how difficult it is for them.

“While it is not our place to judge and comment, I have told Mashitah and her husband that it is now up to them to make sure the children go to school.

“We have various departments (working on solving) this family’s issues such as Registration, Education and Social Welfare.

“The Welfare Department will look into Mashitah's elderly mother's situation while the Education Department has assured me that her children, nephew and niece will go to school soon,” he added.