Family Frontiers welcomes move to amend citizenship rules

 

Family Frontiers has commended the cabinet for agreeing with the proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to grant Malaysian women married to foreigners the right to confer citizenship to their children born abroad.

In a statement today, the rights group said the cabinet’s announcement earlier today is a significant advancement in acknowledging the rights of Malaysian women.

The group, known for being vocal about the Constitution’s citizenship rules, stated that these women and children encountered significant challenges and unfair treatment within the country due to their status.

“It is heartening to see that the government is committed to taking this important step to address this long-standing issue.

“We now look forward to the consent of the Conference of Rulers and the smooth passage of the amendment in Parliament.

“We urge all relevant stakeholders to work together to ensure that the amendment is implemented in a timely and effective manner,” said Family Frontiers.

Family Frontiers president Suriani Kempe

Family Frontiers president Suriani Kempe also lauded the move but said that Malaysian mothers impacted by such cases can only breathe in relief once the amendment has been passed.

“It is thereafter that the mothers will be able to submit their children’s documents to the National Registration Department in order to receive citizenship certificates. But we are certainly on the right track,” Suriani said.

The rights group also took the opportunity to thank Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the cabinet, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Azalina Othman Said, and Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

“The cabinet’s consideration of granting Malaysian women the right to confer citizenship automatically to their overseas-born children will bring a huge relief to all impacted families across the world.

“With this amendment, the various obstacles that the mothers and children faced including family separation, obstacles to accessing long-term resident status, education, healthcare, and social services will soon come to a relieving end,” Family Frontiers concluded.

A major leap in gender equality

Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin also took to social media to celebrate the move.

In a Twitter post, Sim said that the move was a major leap in gender equality and that a major constitutional injustice was corrected.

“Historic for boys and girls denied citizenship. This proved that changes can happen if we voted for the right government.

“I will vote for constitutional amendments. Boys and girls soon can be proud Malaysians!” the MP said.

Last night, Azalina and Saifuddin announced in a joint statement that the cabinet has endorsed the proposal to amend citizenship rules in the Federal Constitution, granting Malaysian women the ability to confer citizenship to their children, including those born outside the country to foreign fathers.

The statement read that the government plans to amend the Constitution to replace the word “father” with the term “at least one of the parents” in Parts I and II of the Second Schedule.

This would enable Malaysian mothers to assert their parental rights under the Constitution.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2023 is expected to be introduced during the current parliamentary session.

Part II of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution outlines the regulations that determine whether or not an individual born after Malaysia Day can acquire Malaysian citizenship. - Mkini