Citizenship issue: 'Not everything NGOs say is right' - Saifuddin

 

The government cannot afford to consider every demand from NGOs on the citizenship law amendments, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said the government and human rights groups must find a common understanding, stressing that the main goal for both sides is the same - to solve citizenship issues.

“Don’t expect the government to heed everything they demand. There needs to be give and take and try to find a middle ground. What’s important is that we solve the citizenship issue together.

“Your opinion may be right but not necessarily correct, also give space to the government so that ultimately the goal of resolving the citizenship matter is achieved. That’s the spirit we should adopt,” he said at a press conference after attending the 217th Police Day at the Police Training Centre in Kuala Lumpur today.

The minister was responding to calls from NGOs to review or even drop the three remaining amendments, which critics have deemed regressive, before tabling them in the Dewan Rakyat.

Previously, it was reported that Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) had called on the government to submit the remaining controversial constitutional amendments on citizenship to a Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC) for a full review before putting them to a vote.

The amendments include removing the right to automatic citizenship for children born to permanent residents, reducing the age limit to obtain citizenship from 21 to 18, and allowing the revocation of citizenship for foreign divorcees who had obtained citizenship by marriage.

Saifuddin on Friday said the cabinet had met and supported seven of the eight proposed amendments.

However, it rejected the proposal to amend the Federal Constitution regarding the right to grant citizenship to foundlings.

The ministry had previously proposed repealing Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution, and Section 1(e) of the same section in the same schedule. - Mkini