A stateless boy’s plea puts Malaysia’s hidden crisis in focus

 

WE CAN’T help but catch ourselves or someone else complaining over the smallest of problems.

But when we think about it, do these problems or minor obstacles truly deserve the attention they receive?

Gratitude, perhaps, arises when we realise that some people out there are facing far greater problems than what we are currently dealing with.

Take it from netizen @kamaghul who highlighted a recent video post, which tells the story of a stateless child born to migrant parents.

According to the boy in the video, he had a Bangladeshi father while his mother was Indonesian. He said it was impossible for him to get married and if he had a child, his or her future would not be bright.

“If you feel depressed, think about my problem,” he added for good measure.

Netizens were divided over his predicament, with some sympathising with him while others suggesting he return to Bangladesh or Indonesia.

“This guy is my friend. I know him so well. He did many jobs to survive since he was 14 yrs old. Now he is 25 and I hope the government can settle this issue because many people like him right now,” claims netizen @4lfxt_.

Then there was @gftobe wondering why he was unable to get married.

Towards this comment, netizen @HakimiTukiman replied that he was able to marry in terms of Islam but the marriage is not valid in the eyes of the law.

@HakimiTukiman pointed out that he does not have the necessary documentation such as a birth certificate and identification card.

Somehow, @fullbuster_52 managed to make some comedy out of this bleak video.

“Can you play football? There is one place that can provide you with an IC if you are good at playing ball,” he said, sarcastically hinting at the three sanctioned players in the Johor football team which were naturalised.

Away from the video, website StatelessHub underlines the serious issue of statelessness in Malaysia, stating that the country has the third largest reported stateless population in Southeast Asia.

According to the UNHCR, there were 117,070 stateless people in Malaysia at the end of 2023.

This figure does not capture everyone who is affected by statelessness in the country, but comprises 107,678 stateless Rohingya in Malaysia and 9,392 non-displaced stateless persons in West Malaysia “who may be entitled to Malaysian nationality under the law”. 

These individuals are denied basic rights, including access to public education, healthcare, and formal employment, often living as “invisible” residents for generations. —Focus Malaysia