Court of appeal rules woman abandoned at birth entitled to citizenship

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal, in a 2-1 majority decision, ruled that a 23-year-old woman who was adopted by Malaysian parents, was abandoned when she was born at a private hospital and that she is entitled to Malaysian citizenship.

Justice Datuk S. Nantha Balan, who read out the majority ruling, said the woman was entitled to be a citizen of Malaysia by operation of law, by virtue of her birth within the federation of Malaysia, pursuant to Article 14(1)(b), Section 1(a) of Part II of Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution, read together with Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution.