Constitutional change on citizenship to be tabled in June, says minister

 

Law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said said some issues need to be further deliberated.

PETALING JAYA: The government is expected to table the proposed amendment to enable automatic citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers at the Dewan Rakyat sitting in June.

According to law and institutional reform minister Azalina Othman Said, some issues were still being ironed out.

“The bill to amend the Federal Constitution is expected to be tabled at the next sitting as there are some issues that need to be further deliberated, especially the issue of dual citizenship.

“A Cabinet committee on the citizenship issue has been formed and is currently deliberating on issues pertaining to citizenship in preparation for the next sitting,” she said in response to a media query.

All 10 days of the June 12-27 sitting at the Dewan Rakyat have been scheduled for the tabling and debate of bills and other government matters.

Azalina said that consent from the Conference of Rulers was also needed for the bill.

Only after that will it be tabled and voted on in the Dewan Rakyat and subsequently, by the Dewan Negara, she added.

The final steps before it takes effect would be for the amendment to receive royal assent and be gazetted.

In a joint statement with home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail last month, Azalina said the proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution was to replace the word “whose father” in Part I and Part II of the Second Schedule with the words “at least one of the parents”.

“This will enable Malaysian mothers to receive their just rights according to the Federal Constitution,” they said.

As it stands, children born overseas to Malaysian women are not entitled to automatic citizenship as the Federal Constitution only provides for citizenship through fathers. - FMT