Govt to announce changes in citizenship issue, will resolve gender discrimination

KUALA LUMPUR: The government is set to make an announcement over proposals to amend the Federal Constitution in order to solve the ongoing citizenship issue involving children born to Malaysian mothers outside the country.

Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah (pic) said the government viewed the issue very seriously as it is a form of discrimination and a violation against human rights.

"A few Ministers have stated their views and the matter was brought to the Cabinet meeting last week by Datuk Rina Harun," he said.

Speaking to reporters outside Parliament on Thursday (Sept 23) morning, Saifuddin added that the feedback from Cabinet was "very positive".

He added that the Cabinet meeting on Friday (Sept 24) will include Attorney General Tan Sri Idrus Harun, who will give his views on the relevant legal standpoints

"The AG will advise on how we should move with this issue. Basically, the government is ready to look into this matter thoroughly in terms of policy in order to resolve it," said Saifuddin.

Saifuddin also cited Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainudin's remarks in Parliament on Wednesday (Sept 22) where he stated the government will refer this issue to the Conference of Malay Rulers as the Constitution needs to be amended.

"On Friday, the Cabinet will detail the steps that it will implement. The AG is the advisor to the government. We will discuss the technicalities on Friday. Hamzah and Rina will inform the public where we are going after that."

Saifuddin was addressing reporters after receiving a petition against the issue from a family support group - Family Frontiers - which took place at 9am outside Parliament.

Family Frontiers urged the government to withdraw its appeal against a landmark court ruling that granted Malaysian women equal rights to confer automatic citizenship on their overseas-born children.

On Wednesday, Hamzah said steps will be taken to amend the Federal Constitution to allow Malaysian mothers the right to confer automatic citizenship on their children born outside Malaysia.

Hamzah also noted that any proposed amendments will first have to get the consent of the Malay Rulers in line with Article 159 (5) of the Constitution,

At present, children born outside the country are entitled to Malaysian citizenship under Article 14(1)(b) of the federal constitution, read in line with Section 1(b) and Section 1(c) of Part II of the Federal Constitution's Second Schedule

Section 1(b) and Section 1(c) currently state that the child's "father" has to be a Malaysian citizen.

Prior to this, Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar Shah had said that all children born to Malaysian parents abroad must be accorded the right to citizenship in Malaysia.

The Sultan also urged the government to abort its plans to appeal the Sept 9 High Court ruling.

Several MPs had also voiced out against the matter, including Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz (BN-Padang Rengas), who urged the government to immediately withdraw its appeal.

He said the appeal would further discriminate against women and it should not have been made in the first place.

Nazri, the former law minister, argued that Malaysian women married to foreign spouses should be given equal rights to confer citizenship to their children and disagreed with the government's appeal.