Citizenship applications for illegitimate, adopted children given priority, says Saifuddin

NIBONG TEBAL: Priority in solving citizenship applications has been given to cases involving illegitimate and adopted children under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said this is because applications involving these two categories were the highest so far, followed by the category of children born abroad to Malaysian women married to foreigners.

"Applications for citizenship involving children born out of wedlock are high. These children should not be discriminated against because of their parents’ fault.

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"So, we are giving priority to their applications. Last year, we achieved the target of resolving 14,000 cases. Now that number has reached over 15,000, and we will maintain the same momentum this year," he told reporters after a gathering with the Indian community here on Sunday (June 16).

He said there were also applications for citizenship under the naturalisation category, but only a few.

In another development, Saifuddin Nasution confirmed that the police had received a report about the leak regarding the investigation of the murder of autistic child Zayn Rayyan Abdul Matiin, and the matter was being investigated.

The police report followed a leak of purported police investigation details, less than 24 hours after Zayn Rayyan’s parents pleaded not guilty to a charge of child neglect.

The Telegram group had uploaded what it claims were statements taken by investigators from both parents.

Asked whether the government would block the Telegram platform following the leak, Saifuddin Nasution said he would leave it to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil to decide. – Bernama