Kuching: The Democratic Action Party Socialist Youth (DAPSY) has called on the Sarawak United People’s Party (SUPP) Kuching branch to lodge a police report over alleged misuse of senior citizens’ personal data in connection with the distribution of counterfeit or non-compliant Kenyalang Gold Cards.
DAPSY Kuching Chief George Lam said the matter demanded urgent attention and a full investigation by the Sarawak Welfare Department.
Lam was responding to a recent public statement by SUPP Kuching, which he criticised as a weak attempt to downplay the severity of the issue.
“Any act of forging or faking the Kenyalang Gold Card must be treated as a serious criminal offense. If the allegations are true, SUPP Kuching should not hide behind a media clarification – it should immediately lodge a police report and cooperate fully with the authorities,” he said in a statement.
Lam cited Section 466 of the Penal Code, which outlines penalties of up to seven years in prison and a fine for forging official documents.
He said the matter was not only about legal implications but also about the breach of public trust.
“What is the most appalling is how SUPP has shown a total disregard for the trust placed in them by our senior citizens. Instead of safeguarding the personal data submitted by the elderly in good faith, they allegedly allowed their party members to abuse this information to produce fake or non-compliant Kenyalang Gold Cards,” he said. “This is not only a blatant breach of privacy, but a clear example of how SUPP is willing to stoop to unethical and deceitful tactics to win public support – even if it means deceiving the elderly.”
Lam further urged the Welfare Department to initiate a full internal investigation, including probing the possibility that civil servants may have leaked the official design of the Kenyalang Gold Card, enabling forgeries.
He also called on the Welfare Department to re-evaluate SUPP’s role as an official welfare proxy in handling Kenyalang Gold Card applications and distribution, noting the potential for further abuse if safeguards are not enforced.
“This process now poses significant risks and must be reviewed,” he stressed.
Lam ended his statement by encouraging affected elderly citizens to visit the Welfare Department to verify the authenticity of their cards.
He assured that DAP service centres are ready to assist those impacted by the scandal.
“We will do everything we can to help them seek justice and ensure that those who deceive the people are held fully accountable,” he said.
