Poser over dual citizenship

The RCI for Sabah can, if established, shed more light on dual-citizenship holders nationwide.

PETALING JAYA: The shocking disclosure that Sarawak Chief Minister Taib Mahmud’s eldest daughter holds dual citizenship and is a registered voter in Sarawak has raised concerns over other similar cases in the country and the government’s “two laws” and practice of double standard.

Jamilah Hamidah Taib (picture below), who is married to a Canadian and has been living in Canada for the past 30 years, is registered as a voter in the Satok state and Petrajaya parliamentary constituencies.

Dual citizenship is considered illegal but known to be prevalent.

In 2008, Home Ministry parliamentary secretary Abdul Rahman Ibrahim said that the government had revoked the citizenship of 5,310 Malaysians who held dual citizenship and that there was “no room to negotiate or choose”. Revocation of citizenship automatically disqualified them as voters.

But the fact that nothing has been done in the case of Jamilah has irked opposition assemblyman See Chee How.

See, a lawyer in Sarawak, and PKR Batu Lintang assemblyman, said: “In Jamilah’s case, the Malaysian authorities have shown that there are two separate laws – one governing the ordinary people and the other for the people in power.”

See questioned if the Home Ministry had looked into Jamilah’s case since.

“It is as if the Home Ministry is not doing anything despite the revelation of her dual citizenship. But in 2008, the ministry said that it had revoked 5,000 plus citizenship.

“Is (the ministry’s supposed inaction) due to not wanting to act against people with power?” he asked, alluding to Taib.

Perennial issue

See, however, agreed that the Election Commission (EC) should be involved to ensure that the voter list is clean

“It’s very difficult to determine who holds dual citizenship… but I’m sure the EC can check with other government agencies and ensure a clean list of voters.”

In Sabah, dual citizenship is a somewhat perennial problem closely linked to the illegal immigrant issue.

There has been much speculation of foreign citizens holding dual citizenship who are granted the right to vote.

This is largely due to the controversial “Project IC” launched in the 1980s and 1990s under which foreigners were granted citizenship and the right to vote in Sabah.

According to Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) vice-president, Chua Soon Bui, suspicion still persists over the continuing existence of “Project IC” although the practice is barred by law.

“Although you can never quantify the number of voters who hold dual citizenship in Sabah, there are thousands of Filipinos and Indonesians who are granted the right to vote.

“Sibatik Island, which is 10 to 15 minutes away from Tawau, is one example… The island is split into two – one half belongs to Malaysia and the other falls under Indonesian territory.

“There, you hear locals constantly complaining that people will come from the Indonesian side of the island to vote (in Sabah) during elections,” said Chua, the Tawau MP.

Onus on individuals

Chua said the recent suggestion by the polls reform panel – Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) – to establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry (RCI) to look into the matter would further highlight the matter of dual citizenship.

“Although the focus is on Sabah, the RCI can also help shed light on the problem in the Peninsula.”

Chua added that the EC should play a role in making the matter clear to the public.

“It is important for us to make it very clear: these people are not permanent residents of the country… this is not good for the progress of the country,” she said.

However, Hulu Selangor MP, P Kamalanathan, who is one of the PSC members, said that the onus is on the individuals concerned to lodge reports to the EC over cases of dual citizenship.

“It will be a huge burden on the EC to check on the matter. The EC is already double-checking the whole electoral list now. So the individual needs to assist the commission.

“We cannot just act based on suspicions and hearsay. If the individual already knows of a case, lodge a report so the EC can investigate,” said the Kamalanathan.

Another PSC member, DAP Rasah MP Anthony Loke, said that the proposed RCI should not only focus on Sabah but also on cases in the Peninsula where Malaysian citizenship was granted to (illegal immigrants).

Political connections

However, Loke said that the Home Ministry, and not the EC, should be responsible for investigating dual-citizenship holders.

“The PSC is more concerned with looking into the circumstances in the granting of Malaysian citizenship to foreigners (if it had any political connections).

“Even if the EC goes through the list of voters, it may not be able to identify the people with dual citizenship.

“The question of citizenship is beyond the purview of the EC. This question should be directed to the Home and Foreign Ministries,” he said.

Meanwhile, EC secretary Kamaruddin Ahmad Baria told FMT that the EC is looking into the matter while studying the eligibility of Malaysians living abroad to vote.

“We have to consult with the Foreign Ministry and coordinate with embassies abroad to find out who holds dual citizenship.”

“It is reported that there are about one million Malaysians abroad but only about 25,000 are registered with the embassies.”