Decades of hardship due to struggles for Malaysian citizenship have ended for five senior citizens from Lawas, Sarawak, as they finally obtained their identification cards from the National Registration Department (NRD).

When contacted, social activist Agnes Padan said she was informed by the recipients’ children that they finally received the long-awaited citizenship status update.

“It was a shock to me. Suddenly I received a message yesterday from one of the children, telling me...