PUTRAJAYA: More than 3,000 people swarmed the National Registration Department (NRD) headquarters here today, thanks to a fake message distributed via WhatsApp and Facebook.
The message had claimed that the NRD in Putrajaya was offering those with Permanent Resident (PR) status with immediate citizen status if they apply by today.
Those with PR status had gathered at the headquarters as early as 3am in hopes of obtaining Malaysian citizenship, unaware that the message they received was fake.
NRD public relation officer Fara Maya Ahmad Jelani said around 3,000 people had come from all over the country and queued up even before the office opened at 7.45am.
“We were made aware of rumours of such a programme being carried out throughout the week.
“We have been receiving people since Monday. However, it is only today that we were faced with such a large crowd," she told reporters.
To handle the sudden influx of visitors, we had to open up more counters at various level of the building so that other services rendered by the department would not be disrupted,” she added.
Fara Maya said applications to become Malaysian citizens are done on a daily basis at the department. Such applications would take months, if not years, to be approved based on the eligibility of the applicant.
“This message is not only misleading but had caused trouble for not only the people, but also the staff here in Putrajaya," she said.
Despite explaining to them that the message was false, people were still reluctant to leave, she said.
Among the applicants included Pakistanis, Bangladeshi, Cambodians, and a large number of Indonesians.
Fara Maya said a police report has been lodged on the incident at the Putrajaya police headquarters.