For most Malaysians, an identity card is just a piece of document, but for 19-year-old Du Fang Fang, it was something she had spent 18 years waiting for.
Born in Malaysia, Fang Fang spent her entire childhood without a birth certificate, a MyKad, or citizenship.
Growing up stateless in Malaysia
Life was incredibly difficult without legal identity documents. Her father had married her Vietnamese mother through an agent in 2006, only to discover later that the marriage certificate was fake.
When Fang Fang was just seven months old, her father passed away. Soon after, her mother returned to Vietnam and completely lost contact with the family.
From that moment on, Fang Fang was stateless. Without legal identity documents, she could not enjoy the same rights as other children. She grew up constantly facing obstacles in almost every aspect of her life, including her education, her daily routine, and planning for her future.
Because of her status, she often felt inferior during her primary and secondary school years. Certain school matters were processed last for her, and she had to pay extra school fees every year. Even after graduating from secondary school, she was unable to enter a local university because she was not recognised as a Malaysian citizen.
“I never dared to think too far ahead. Many things were never about whether I wanted to do them or not,” she shared.
A devoted aunt’s 18-year battle
Thankfully, she was never alone. After her parents were no longer around, Fang Fang was raised by her aunt, Madam Du Jin Xi (transliteration), who treated her like her own daughter, according to China Press.
For 18 years, her aunt repeatedly applied for citizenship on her behalf, only to face rejection after rejection. The fear that Fang Fang would grow up without an identity, without opportunities, and without a future weighed heavily on her all those years.
A dream fulfilled
Everything changed in 2024 when they sought help from Kota Melaka MP from DAP, Khoo Poay Tiong, who also shared Fang Fang’s plight on his Facebook page.
After continuous follow-ups and discussions with the Home Ministry, Fang Fang’s citizenship application was finally approved in November 2025. Khoo also reminded the public that the age limit for applying for Malaysian citizenship has been lowered from 21 to 18.
Then, in April this year, just one month before her 19th birthday, she officially received her MyKad. Her aunt said that the moment they received the IC, it felt as though 18 years of pressure had finally vanished.
“Now I can finally feel at peace,” she said. “She can finally live like a normal person.”
Today, Fang Fang is studying aesthetic medicine in Kuala Lumpur. She hopes to complete her current studies and, one day, fulfil her dream of continuing her education at a local university.
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