PUTRAJAYA: The Home Ministry (KDN) is intensifying efforts to improve access to identification documents through the National Registration Department’s (NRD) Menyemai Kasih Rakyat (Mekar) outreach programme, with upcoming missions in Melbourne and London to assist Malaysians abroad.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said Mekar, an initiative aimed at ensuring all eligible Malaysian citizens have access to identification documents, is designed to “go to the people” rather than waiting for them to come to NRD counters.
“As of July 31, a total of 1,633 Mekar programmes had been conducted, resulting in 24,863 applications being processed.
“We also provide advisory services, which have already benefited more than 20,000 individuals,” he told reporters after the ministry’s monthly assembly here today.
Among its initiatives, Mekar Didik was launched in November 2024 to help schoolchildren without birth certificates or identity documents. Between then and June this year, the programme assisted 12,101 students, achieving the target set with the Education Ministry.
“These are often children of broken families, with delays in registration due to divorce, financial hardship or the absence of a parent. Mekar Didik ensures they are not left behind,” Saifuddin said.
For overseas applicants, Mekar Diaspora has previously sent officers to Saudi Arabia and the United States.
The next missions are scheduled for Melbourne from September 14–28 and in London from October 5–17, each expected to assist around 400 applicants.
At the same time, Saifuddin said the ministry has advanced its Reformasi Kerenah Birokrasi (RKB) initiative to cut red tape in public services.
Under the reforms, late birth registrations for children under five born in government health facilities will now be processed within 30 days, compared with three months previously.
Applications for certified copies of overseas birth certificates, or Form H, are completed in seven days instead of 52.
“These two areas were chosen because the impact is immediate. Families who once waited months can now receive documents in a fraction of the time,” he said.
The RKB initiative, launched under the Malaysia Madani framework and formalised through Administrative Circular No. 3 of 2024, requires ministries and agencies to review outdated procedures.
Earlier this month, the Public Works Ministry, Transport Ministry, Agriculture and Food Security Ministry, and the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry were recognised as early implementers of the policy.
“We will continue identifying processes that can be improved so people feel more comfortable and satisfied when dealing with us,” Saifuddin said.
He added that NRD is also streamlining MyKad services to reduce waiting times and expand its role as a national digital identity platform.
Children applying for MyKad at age 12 can now obtain their card within 30 minutes, while replacements for lost or damaged cards can be issued on the same day.
“MyKad is central to our digital identity framework, supporting biometric verification, healthcare services, driving licence data and inter-agency data sharing with LHDN, JPJ, PDRM and the Health Ministry,” Saifuddin said.
It also integrates with MySejahtera, e-Tanah and MyGovUC, while most recently being used to distribute the SARA 100 “One Off” cashless assistance to recipients aged 18 and above.
NRD is currently finalising a new version of MyKad with stronger security features and a more durable design.
The announcements were made in conjunction with the ministry’s August assembly, held at Dewan Gemilang, Kompleks Setia Perkasa, here.
The event also featured the launch of KDN’s 2025 portal, recognition for operatives in international competitions, and a montage highlighting the evolution of the national identity card.
