'This is what I have wanted for 25 years': Stateless youth granted Singapore PR
SINGAPORE - A little blue card, with his name and a few numbers that say who he is and where he lives.
To Ricqo Rafiezuwan, a 25-year-old whom The Straits Times featured in September in an article about stateless individuals and the challenges they face, the blue identity card he now guards jealously is more than just a document.
He said it confirms he is no longer someone without an identity.
As he spoke to ST on Dec 18, Rafiezuwan proudly held up his blue identity card. There it was - his name in big, bold letters.
«I cannot believe that I am holding this. I look at it and think, wow, is this real?
»Because this is what I have wanted for a very long time, for 25 years," said Rafiezuwan, fighting to hold back his tears.
After the photographer was done taking pictures of him holding up the card, Rafiezuwan wiped it with his hands and returned it to his wallet.
He slid the wallet into his back pocket, and gave that a gentle pat.
His card was safe.
Rafiezuwan said he will not forget the day he received the news that he had been granted permanent residency status.