Grant citizenship to abandoned children under welfare dept, says Sarawak

 

Sarawak minister Fatimah Abdullah said granting automatic citizenship will guarantee the future of the children. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: The Sarawak government has urged the federal government to grant automatic citizenship to abandoned children left under the care of the welfare department (JKM).

State women, childhood, and community wellbeing development minister Fatimah Abdullah said this was crucial to guarantee these children’s future.

“In our experience, it is difficult for officers and staff in welfare institutions to determine the biological parents of abandoned children, even though various efforts have been made.

“That is why we request that children under the care of these welfare institutions, especially babies that have been dumped, be given special consideration,” she said, according to The Borneo Post.

Fatimah also said this would ease the burden of parents who adopt these children, as they would not need to go through hurdles when applying for citizenship papers for them.

“They have good intentions of caring and providing a better future for neglected or abandoned children. That’s why we ask for special consideration so they are granted citizenship. Otherwise, the problem will be borne by the adoptive parents,” she said.

The government has been facing pushback after proposing eight amendments to citizenship provisions in the Federal Constitution, which include the granting of citizenship to stateless children and foundlings.

The amendment in question aims to alter the Second Schedule, Part II, Section 1(e) of the constitution, which currently ensures citizenship by operation of law to “every person born within the federation who is not born a citizen of any country otherwise”.

Multiple groups have decried the proposed constitutional amendment, saying it may block the pathway to citizenship for stateless children and foundlings.

However, home minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail insisted that foundlings could still be registered as citizens so long as their births are promptly registered upon discovery.

He said even older foundlings can apply for citizenship under Section 15A of the Federal Constitution, which grants Putrajaya the “special power” to register anyone under 21 as citizens “in such special circumstances as it thinks fit”. - FMT