Saifuddin touts 80pct citizenship approval amid backlash

 

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has touted a “super majority” in approving citizenship applications amid backlash over his ministry’s imminent constitutional amendments on citizenship. 

As of March 7, Saifuddin announced that his ministry had decided on 3,903 citizenship applications under Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution involving individuals under the age of 21.

He added that 80 percent of these applications were approved while the rest were rejected because they were incomplete and didn’t pass the security screening process.

“That’s a super-majority for applications that are complete and given approval,” he said this at a press conference after attending a citizenship handover ceremony at his ministry today.

Saifuddin faced heavy backlash over some of the ministry’s proposed amendments to constitutional provisions dealing with citizenship, which critics say are regressive and would lead to more statelessness.

Defending his proposal, the minister previously claimed it was to prevent abuse by migrants seeking automatic citizenship for their babies born by abandoning them in government hospitals.

However, critics hit back and said that Saifuddin’s explanation was contradictory and a misinterpretation of the constitutional provision on foundlings.

Suhakam also said the Home Ministry did not provide any empirical data to back its proposed citizenship law amendments.

One particularly contentious amendment would remove automatic citizenship for foundlings. With that, the power to grant citizenship would be transferred from the Federal Constitution to the home minister.

In response, Saifuddin today explained that he had organised engagement sessions with Suhakam, the Bar Council and numerous legal experts on the proposed amendments.

Despite brickbats, he said his ministry remains open to discussions and is willing to organise engagements with those who have concerns.

“I’m particularly open to being approached by them or initiating contact with them. I have no problem.

“I can listen to them, but they also have to listen to me, as that is what discussions are about,” Saifuddin said.

Asked if the proposed amendments will be tabled in the Parliament sitting this month, he said “as soon as possible”.

“I need to finish my engagements (with political parties). Once the engagement is completed, I can proceed with registering it for tabling as soon as possible. Once it is done, I will manage the next steps,” he explained.

During the event at the Home Ministry earlier, Saifuddin handed over citizenship letters to 35 children born overseas to Malaysian mothers.

He also expressed commitment to resolve the remaining existing applications before the amendments to the Federal Constitution pertaining to citizenship are tabled at Parliament. - Mkini