The government is systematically depriving Indian Malaysians of their citizenship by categorising them as foreigners, PKR vice-president N Surendran claims.
Some 300,000 descendants of Indian Malaysians are either without blue identity cards (MyKad), birth certificates or both, Surendran told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.
Citing an application by an unregistered woman, Periakkah Nagan in 2011, he said the National Registration Department (NRD) denied her bid under Article 16 of the federal constitution, despite this section being meant for foreigners.
In another case, Surendran said, applicant Vasantha Lakshimi Gengalingam was denied a blue MyKad under the Article 19 for allegedly failing to attend an interview.
"If you are born in Malaysia and not a citizen of another country, then you should be categorised under Article 14 (on matters pertaining to citizenship applications).
"There is no reason whatsoever to categorise these people under Articles 16 or 19... don't tell me (the government officials) never read the federal constitution," Surendran said.
Article 14 states the citizenship is by operation of law for persons born before or after Malaysia Day in 1963; while Article 16 states that the federal government may, upon application made by any person of or over the age of 21 years who is not a citizen, grant a certificate of naturalisation to that person if satisfied.
Some 300,000 descendants of Indian Malaysians are either without blue identity cards (MyKad), birth certificates or both, Surendran told a press conference in Petaling Jaya today.
Citing an application by an unregistered woman, Periakkah Nagan in 2011, he said the National Registration Department (NRD) denied her bid under Article 16 of the federal constitution, despite this section being meant for foreigners.In another case, Surendran said, applicant Vasantha Lakshimi Gengalingam was denied a blue MyKad under the Article 19 for allegedly failing to attend an interview.
"If you are born in Malaysia and not a citizen of another country, then you should be categorised under Article 14 (on matters pertaining to citizenship applications).
"There is no reason whatsoever to categorise these people under Articles 16 or 19... don't tell me (the government officials) never read the federal constitution," Surendran said.
Article 14 states the citizenship is by operation of law for persons born before or after Malaysia Day in 1963; while Article 16 states that the federal government may, upon application made by any person of or over the age of 21 years who is not a citizen, grant a certificate of naturalisation to that person if satisfied.
Unable to sit for SPM
The one-hour press event also saw PKR bringing forward four Indian families whose lives have been blighted for not being blue Mykad holders.
One of them was 17 year old B Reshina who was dismissed from school two weeks ago as she does not have an identity card to register for the upcoming Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, although her father is a certified Malaysian citizen.
She could not help but shed tears when recounting her plight, saying that she is recorded as non-citizen in her birth certificate as her mother is not a citizen.
Meanwhile, PKR vice president R. Sivarasa noted that the 300,000 figure of "stateless Indians" might be a conservative one as that there were already 250,000 of them in the 1990s.
He said a census done by renowned statistician Ramesh Chander in the 1970s projected Malaysia to have at least 8 to 8.9 million Malays, 4.5 to 5.4 million Chinese and 1.49 to 1.66 million Indians respectively by 1990.
"While the census figures for Chinese and Malays were spot on in 1990, Indians fell below the projection of 1.31 million," he said.
He claimed that there were as many as 250,000 Indians excluded from the official census that time, making them ‘stateless Indians'.
"Common sense dictates the figure will be much bigger now," he said.
The two PKR leaders challenged the cabinet to resolve the long-standing issue within a week as it is duty-bound to guarantee the livelihood of its citizens.
"Please activate your entire machinery, ask the district land officials to go out and find those who are unregistered, help them!" said Surendran.
When asked whether he will give the name list of the unregistered Indians to MIC as required, Surendran said he would only give it to JPN.
One of them was 17 year old B Reshina who was dismissed from school two weeks ago as she does not have an identity card to register for the upcoming Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, although her father is a certified Malaysian citizen.
She could not help but shed tears when recounting her plight, saying that she is recorded as non-citizen in her birth certificate as her mother is not a citizen.Meanwhile, PKR vice president R. Sivarasa noted that the 300,000 figure of "stateless Indians" might be a conservative one as that there were already 250,000 of them in the 1990s.
He said a census done by renowned statistician Ramesh Chander in the 1970s projected Malaysia to have at least 8 to 8.9 million Malays, 4.5 to 5.4 million Chinese and 1.49 to 1.66 million Indians respectively by 1990.
"While the census figures for Chinese and Malays were spot on in 1990, Indians fell below the projection of 1.31 million," he said.
He claimed that there were as many as 250,000 Indians excluded from the official census that time, making them ‘stateless Indians'.
"Common sense dictates the figure will be much bigger now," he said.
The two PKR leaders challenged the cabinet to resolve the long-standing issue within a week as it is duty-bound to guarantee the livelihood of its citizens.
"Please activate your entire machinery, ask the district land officials to go out and find those who are unregistered, help them!" said Surendran.
When asked whether he will give the name list of the unregistered Indians to MIC as required, Surendran said he would only give it to JPN.
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