Ahmad Zahid: 54,000 renounce citizenship since 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Since 2010, 54,000 people have renounced their Malaysian citizenship in favour of another, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi (pic).  

In this year alone, he said 1,102 nationals had opted out of their citizenship - as many as 367 people a month.  

Dr Ahmad Zahid said this in a written reply to Mohamed Hanipa Maidin (Amanah-Sepang) Monday.  

According to Ministry statistics, 8,076 Malaysians renounced their citizenship last year. 

In 2014, 7,843 Malaysians bade farewell to the country, followed by 6,678 in 2013, 11 080 in 2011 and 10, 644 in 2010.  

Last year, 2,200 Malaysians also withdrew their Employees Provident Fund (EPF) savings, as they renounced their citizenship - draining out RM154.6mil before leaving the country.  

There are about a million Malaysian-born people residing abroad as expatriates, permanent residents or citizens of their new countries.