I am writing to you with guilt about my past sexual encounters and hoping you can help me with this burden of remorse.
SINGAPORE : Stateless youth Ricqo Rafiezuwan once likened his existence to that of a ghost – his presence known to and noticed by only a few people.
The report sparked an outpouring of support – from offers of help with the English language and training to jobs and meals at restaurants. Rafiezuwan was born in Singapore in October 1999 to an unwed stateless mother, who placed him in the care of a childless Singaporean couple with whom she was friends.
“It’s not just about giving him a job, anyone can do that; it’s more important for us to help him upskill and build his confidence,” he said. They agreed to start with housekeeping duties, but with training to take on more technical roles. Mr Lim also intends to enrol Mr Rafiezuwan for English lessons.
Ricqo Rafiezuwan with Jamaludin Jantan and Hamidah Osman, whom he considers his parents. - ST PHOTO: GIN TAYAs at Dec 31, 2023, there were 853 stateless people living in Singapore. They are not recognised as a citizen of any country and have no nationality. While Rafiezuwan’s birth mother was incarcerated, his caregivers tried to get his birth certificate from his relatives so he could get his childhood immunisations and be enrolled in school.Hamidah said: “We tried many times to get his birth certificate. We went to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority and a few mosques to ask for help.
Khalifah helped him navigate the procedure involved in applying to the authorities for permission to work in Singapore, and with preparing his PR application submitted earlier in October.Then came the news report in September, which prompted more than 80 people to contact ST and the FRCS FSC over Mr Rafiezuwan’s case.
Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam said in a written parliamentary reply on Oct 15 that there were seven stateless children under the age of 12 in Singapore and another 13 between the ages of 12 and 18, as at Dec 31, 2023.Shanmugam said that while their circumstances vary, one reason for their statelessness is that they were born in Singapore to foreign parents who did not obtain the citizenship of their country for their children.
He added that it is the responsibility of the parents or legal guardians to take care of the child’s well-being, including obtaining citizenship for the child.
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