Wednesday, September 16, 2009

First batch of applicants receive citizenship

KUALA LUMPUR: Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein is moving closer to his KPI (Key Performance Indicators) target with the first batch of applicants to be awarded citizenship Wednesday.

The ministry has been conducting an “operation” to inform the successful applicants with officials knocking on their doors even at odd hours.

Officials said at least 100 would attend the presentation ceremony at the National Registration Department in Putrajaya.

This will be a major breakthrough for Hishammuddin who is spearheading the drive to clear 32,927 citizenship, 16,812 PR and 93,360 late registrations of birth certificate applications, which has been made his ministerial KPI, by the year-end.

The ministry has so far cleared about 70% of the backlog (as of Jan 2009) in all three categories of applications.

Hishammuddin, who took over as Home Minister in April, said he was confident that the year-end target he had set was within reach.

“I have set a deadline and intend to meet that deadline. What keeps us going is the thought that the more efficient we are, the more relief we bring to someone’s life. I will do my best … it can be done if everyone does their part,’’ he told The Star.

A dedicated taskforce has been conducting interviews daily for between 150 and 200 citizenship applicants since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the ministry’s new accountability measures in April.

About 5,110 citizenship applicants were called for interviews since July 9.

On the ministry’s National KRA (Key Result Areas) target of enhancing public safety and reducing street crimes announced by Najib in July, Hishammuddin said plans had been set in motion.

“For the ministry KRA, one KPI target will be imposed on each agency under the ministry. This should be ready by the end of the month,’’ he added.

The minister made his first visit to one of the 50 identified crime hotspots, Puchong, last week to check on the anti-crime drive and is next expected to focus on SS15 in Subang Jaya.

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