Saifuddin confident citizenship amendments will get MPs' backing

KUALA LUMPUR: The Home Ministry is confident that continuous engagement will lead to the proposed citizenship law amendments being passed, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).

Responding to Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Karim's comments that he would oppose the proposed amendments, the Home Minister said he was confident that he would be able to convince MPs.

ALSO READ: Cabinet okays citizenship amendments

“I am currently ... explaining (the proposed amendments) to the MPs and... I am sure this amendment will get the required support,” he said after officiating the PRRM Special Dialogue 2024 at the Royal Malaysian Police College here on Monday (March 11).

On criticisms by NGOs that the amendments were regressive, he said there were processes and laws that had to be followed.

“Will these amendments close the door, especially to foundling babies? The law requires that they are reported immediately.

“To get citizenship they must (have) the police report, medical report and the report by the Welfare Department, and if this is followed, the baby will be granted citizenship,” he said, adding that there were 142 such cases.

ALSO READ: Activists: Amendments a regressive step for children’s rights

For older children, he explained that their citizenship applications would be processed under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, which encompasses adopted children, those born out of wedlock and children who were foundling babies.

“Is the door closed to them? No,” he said.

He added that there were 59,000 applicants under Article 15A and 35,000 of those had been processed.

“The success rate of (the applications processed) is 98% who successfully gained citizenship,” he said.

ALSO READ: Enshrine citizenship rights in the Constitution, don't leave it up to minister's discretion

In November, Saifuddin faced pushback when announcing the proposed amendments.

Although the amendments would resolve the issue of citizenship regarding children born to Malaysian mothers overseas, civil rights groups were concerned that the changes would create a larger class of stateless children.

The proposed amendment requires proof that foundlings were born in Malaysia before citizenship applications can be submitted.