Saifuddin confident MPs will support citizenship amendments

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has expressed confidence that his ongoing engagement with lawmakers in Parliament will result in support for the government’s plan to amend the Federal Constitution regarding citizenship law.

This follows reported resistance from Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim who yesterday said the government has no reason to amend the provision that grants citizenship by operation of law to abandoned children.

“I am in the process of providing explanations to the MPs,” said Saifuddin when asked whether he would be engaging with lawmakers who had voiced concerns on the proposed amendments.

“If I continue to provide explanations, as how I’m doing now to reporters and you (reporters) help to write it, I’m confident that these amendments will receive the necessary support,” he said during a joint press conference with Inspector-General of Police Razarudin Husain in Kuala Lumpur.

Enshrined under Federal Constitution

Among others, Saifuddin reiterated figures on approvals of citizenship applications under Section 15A for children born out of wedlock, adopted children and adult foundlings - 98 percent out of 35,000 processed to date, and a remaining 14,000 pending cases to be processed by Dec 31.

“There will be no more 15A pending cases on my table by year-end,” he said.

Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim

This was on top of 142 approved citizenship applications for foundling babies, a figure disputed by rights group Lawyers for Liberty earlier today.

Responding to critics who questioned the home minister’s power to approve citizenship applications via registration, Saifuddin pointed out it has been enshrined under the Federal Constitution and turned into law.

“Don’t ask me why the Federal Constitution empowers the home minister to approve citizenship applications via registration.

“That has been the law since 1963. Why must you question now why the home minister has such powers?” he asked.

Aside from Hassan, DAP lawmaker Ramkarpal Singh previously told the Dewan Rakyat that the proposed amendments, especially regarding foundlings, are both “illogical and unreasonable.”

Calling it a “backward step,” the Bukit Gelugor MP said the proposal should be withdrawn or postponed. - Mkini