Woman has her citizenship abruptly revoked

Despite being born in Malaysia, Wong Ah Kar, 59, was only able to become a full-fledged Malaysian in 1973. But in 1989, to her horror. it was revoked without her knowledge.

"I did not know that my citizenship had been revoked until I applied for a permit for a maid in 1996 and was told that I was only a permanent resident," she said.

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok who accompanied Wong at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur this morning said Wong's parents as well as siblings are all Malaysian citizens with blue identity cards.

Wong showed a certificate of registration which showed her father who was originally from China becoming a Malayan citizen on Jan 27, 1958.

However, complications rose as Wong (right inphoto) was born in Kuala Kangsar, Perak on April 25, 1954 before her father became a citizen, and thus she had to apply on her own for hers later.

"I did not understand much but my husband who is also a citizen had helped me to apply for citizenship and I eventually received a registration certificate in 1973," she said.

However, the National Registration Department (NRD) later issued an order revoking her citizenship with a registration certificate number of 533728 effective July 17, 1989.

‘Error in application'

The reason given in the order read: "Erroneously obtaining a registration certificate".

Kok said it was unfair for Wong's citizenship to be taken away simply because of mistakes made in the NRD.

"There is evidence that her father was a citizen so how can she be deprived of her citizenship," she added.

She hoped that the home ministry would demonstrate the same rigour as before the general election in assisting those who had a right to citizenship but did not.

"In the first half of the government's last term when Hishammuddin Hussein was home minister, there were many by-elections and every time he would be giving out citizenship to seniors to show how efficient the government was.

"But when there was no more by-elections he fell silent. I hope the current home minister (Ahmad Zahid Hamidi) will address this," she said.

Kok said that it was wrong that foreigners were arbitrarily given citizenship as exposed by testimony given before the royal commission of inquiry on immigrants in Sabah but genuine Malaysians are denied it.