Siblings get their long awaited ICs thanks to good neighbours

Free Malaysia Today

The Ee siblings now have their own identity cards, and with it, a renewed sense of hope and certainty for 2026.   Story by: Sheela Vijayan  Shot by: Fauzi Yunus  Presented by: Theevya Ragu  Edited by: Andrea Edmonds   Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2026/01/01/after-years-of-waiting-the-ee-siblings-greet-2026-with-ics   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com  Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5  Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM  Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h  Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp  Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX  Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb  Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj  Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Download FMT News App:  Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46  App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ  Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP   #FMTLifestyle

Transcript

00:005e siblings can now step into 2026 with hope,

00:09clutching their very own identity cards which officially recognize them as citizens of Malaysia.

00:15Although they were born and raised here, they were stateless for years,

00:20as their father had not registered their births.

00:23Without documents, they lacked a sense of belonging.

00:27So for me, I feel so happy because before this, we don't have ICs,

00:32so I'm afraid whenever I see the police, I'm afraid later they'll ask for ICs and all,

00:38and then if we don't have, they'll bring us again.

00:41We are born here. We should have the courage in Malaysia.

00:45We should have the things that we should do, for example travel, taking lessons, open back a car.

00:52Procuring their ICs was made possible by concerned neighbours

00:55who banded together to help the siblings.

00:58At its centre was Sheila Rahman Natarajan, whom the siblings lovingly call Aunty Sheila.

01:04Sheila and her husband Abdul Rahman Ishaq opened their home and hearts to the siblings.

01:10There, the children found safety while Sheila navigated years of bureaucracy

01:16so the children could one day be recognised as Malaysian citizens.

01:21Sheila even created her own version of an identification card for them.

01:26This was card pengenalan anak here, I put here.

01:31That means information for my children so that they, to make them brave

01:38because they need to know to find the way back home if they are in any danger.

01:44Okay, they don't remember dad's phone number.

01:47They didn't even know where they stayed.

01:49They didn't know what an address was.

01:52All children born here deserve to have, you know, a life.

01:59Whether or not it is not a full citizenship, at least the opportunity to go and have an education

02:08so that they will be alright in, you know, for their future.

02:15Besides Sheila, neighbours, regardless of race,

02:18stepped in to help the children find a path towards stability.

02:22And thanks to the Dignity for Children Foundation, education became possible for them.

02:28Ting Choi, the youngest, found school intimidating at first.

02:32And he did not have a single friend there.

02:35But one teacher made a difference.

02:37My teacher never gave up on me.

02:39She kept on teaching me until I can speak proper English.

02:43Today, the siblings speak of the future with confidence,

02:47envisioning their lives shaped by choice rather than fear.

02:52For me, I feel grateful because, like, like, for Aunty Silah and Uncle Mark,

02:57like, they're pushing us also to get our IC.

03:01And then also, like, they never give up to us.

03:04The most I'm thankful for this community, especially my neighbours and Aunty Silah and Uncle Mark,

03:10because if not because of them, I wouldn't know who am I, and I wouldn't have my own IC.

03:16The siblings can now step into 2026 not with grand declarations,

03:22but with something far more powerful.

03:24Certainty of a brighter future.

03:26Brighter future.

03:28Divya Ragu and Sheila Vijayan, FMT

03:32entirely with close relationships.

03:34So gegenüber some people I'm what wasn't for it all.

03:36I hope you enjoyed War of the Lord and Cynthia was the greatest.

03:37I hope you enjoyed the fact that you Romania Christ had been at the sightest withmu that we love

03:38through this in the world.

03:39But I like when Natomiastكم and different times we've learned far more powerful things,

03:42we've learned the fact that you canover the world on just a few years ago.

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