Registration dept says not involved in viral citizenship programme

SHAH ALAM: The National Registration Department (JPN) has denied any involvement in a purported citizenship application programme that recently went viral on social media.

In a statement Saturday (June 8), JPN clarified that citizenship applications can only be made at the counters of JPN offices in the presence of the applicants themselves.

"JPN wishes to emphasise that the awarding of citizenship status is the highest honour granted by the Malaysian government to those who are truly eligible and meet the requirements," JPN said.

Earlier, it was reported that the Stulang Constituency Service Centre had postponed a Citizenship Briefing and Information Programme after backlash over an online poster for the event.

The postponement came after a Facebook user using the name "Nurul Mohamed Yusoff" had questioned a poster for the event with the title "Program Permohonan Kewarganegaraan (Citizenship Application Programme)".

The poster showed Chen and Penang Citizenship Programme supervisor Yeap Choon Keong.

The poster was also uploaded to TikTok by user @habibhassanali65.

Stulang assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng said that the briefing was initially organised to address issues of individuals lacking citizenship status or birth certificates due to parental negligence and other reasons.

JPN reiterated that the process implemented by the government is subject to the Federal Constitution and existing laws to ensure the sovereignty and security of the country.

"JPN wants to clarify that the program being publicised does not involve our department at all," the statement added.

"It is not jointly organised with JPN, and there was no invitation for JPN to participate in the said program," it said in its statement.