Filipino child got citizenship as dad has PR status, says Sabah JPN

KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah National Registration Department (JPN) says a child of Filipino descent born in the state was granted Malaysian citizenship as the father is a permanent resident (PR), amid outcry over a copy of the child’s birth certificate which has been making the rounds on social media.

Sabah JPN director Ismail Ahmad said while neither parent has citizenship, they are legally married. This, coupled with the father’s PR status, means automatic citizenship for their child.

According to the copy of the certificate, the child was born at the Women and Children’s Hospital in Likas here on Jan 24 last year.

The parents, both 27, are Filipinos. The father holds a MyPR card while the mother has an IMM13 refugee pass.

Ismail told FMT that as long as one of the parents holds permanent residency and the couple is legally married, their children will automatically be granted citizenship.

“But the child will only granted be citizenship if the parent already holds PR status when the child is born,” he added.

“The child will not be given citizenship if the application is ongoing or PR status is issued after the birth. In such cases, the child will remain a foreigner.”

He said foreigners would need to apply for an entry permit from the immigration department in order to apply for a MyPR card.

If approved, the MyPR card is usually issued within a month as it will be printed in Putrajaya.

Ismail said a PR holder would need to hold his or her status for 12 years before applying for citizenship. - FMT