Constitutional amendment will solve dilemma of children born overseas to Malaysian mothers, says Heng

IPOH: Children born overseas to Malaysian mothers will no longer be left in limbo when the amendment to the Federal Constitution enabling them to get automatic citizenship is enacted, says Heng Seai Kie.

The former MCA Wanita chairman said she hopes that the amendments could be made as soon as possible to allow those born abroad to Malaysian mothers to enjoy equal rights as those born to Malaysian fathers.

"I would like to thank and congratulate the unity government for having the political will to propose the amendment of the Federal Constitution to enable children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to gain automatic Malaysian citizenship.

"Once enacted, these amendments will finally address the longstanding dilemma of children of Malaysian mothers left stateless through no fault of theirs," she said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 18).

"These constitutional amendments will finally ensure gender equality for Malaysian women, and that their children born overseas will not be left stranded should their non-Malaysian fathers abandon their Malaysian spouses," she said, adding that she had previously held dialogues with Association of Family Support & Welfare Selangor & Kuala Lumpur (Family Frontiers) and other women's groups in urging the government to make the amendments.

"I hope there will be no more delays in enacting these constitutional amendments so that these infants of Malaysian mothers will enjoy the equal right to citizenship as would newborns to Malaysian fathers born abroad," she added.

In a joint statement on Friday (Feb 17), Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said said the Cabinet has agreed with the proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to enable children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to gain automatic Malaysian citizenship.

The amendments are expected to be tabled in the current Dewan Rakyat meeting.