Malaysian mum rejoices after High Court quashed unequal citizenship policy

 

A Malaysian mother was in jubilation after the Kuala Lumpur High Court yesterday ruled children born overseas to Malaysian mothers and foreign fathers are automatically entitled to Malaysian citizenship.

Imelda Nasreen Nasruddin, a prominent Malaysian obstetrician-gynaecologist (OB-GYN), took to social media to share her excitement at the ruling and her difficult journey to obtain Malaysian citizenship for her daughters.

“It took me a long time to get Malaysian citizenship for both my daughters Samira and Erin.

“Finally, Samira got her Malaysian citizenship at 12 years of age, after I submitted an application which took 18 long months to process.

“Now, Samira as a Malaysian would not need to submit any application form and wait for the discretion of the authorities for her children to become Malaysians, like what her mummy had to do for her,” the doctor, who is known as Imelda Balchin, said in a Facebook post this morning.

Imelda recalled she was told by a Malaysian High Commission officer in London that her daughter Samira was not eligible for Malaysian citizenship after she was born as the father is not Malaysian.

Frustrated, she was forced to obtain British passports for her daughters while enduring a difficult journey to apply for Malaysian citizenship for them.

“I was angry that a Malaysian mother is not considered important at all. I was angry that I, a Malaysian mother, was not worthy.

“They said, it did not matter if the mother was Malaysian or not, the only thing that mattered was the father.

“It hit me very hard to find out that I had no value in my society,” Imelda shared on how she felt.

Imelda said she would not have returned to Malaysia if her daughters did not get Malaysian citizenship.

"If my children were not granted Malaysian citizenship, I would not bring them home, and I would not have come home.

"Finally, I came home," she said.

Imelda is now happy with the court ruling and reminded people that a woman should not be seen as less equal to a man in society.

“Samira will turn 18 at the end of this year and mummy is so happy to tell her the good news that her rights as a Malaysian woman are finally acknowledged.

“A woman is not a second class citizen. A mother is just as important as a father.

“Let us make Malaysia a better place,” Imelda said. - Mkini