KOTA KINABALU: Eight Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) aligned MPs have met behind closed doors on the constitutional amendment on citizenship laws due for its second and third reading in the coming Parliament session.
Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor chaired the discussion during a pre-council Parliament meeting at his official residence Sri Gaya here Friday (Oct 11).
A statement from the Chief Minister's Department said the meeting heard a briefing by the Home Ministry's Registration Department and Organisation Division, Deputy Undersecretary Mimmi Suriati Mat Khalid about the amendment.
The MPs present were Datuk Seri Dr Jeffrey Kitingan (Keningau), Datuk Armizan Ali (Papar), Datuk Shahelmey Yahya (Putatan), Datuk Jonathan Yassin (Ranau), Datuk Andi Muhammad Suryady Bandy (Kalabakan), Datuk Matbali Musa (Sipitang), Datuk Lo Su Fui (Tawau) and Riduan Rubin (Tenom).
Also present was state Attorney General Datuk Brenndon Keith Soh.
The statement did not disclose details of the meeting that had sprung from vocal opposition by dozens of local non-governmental organisations and activists to the proposed changes that would purportedly worsen conditions for displaced natives and increase the stateless situation in Sabah.
On Oct 4, Kitingan, who is Deputy Chief Minister I, said that the Sabah Cabinet had discussed the issue and concluded that the proposed constitutional amendments should not include Sabah as it could undermine the rights of people particularly rural communities facing statelessness due to poor access to proper documentation.
The key concern is the proposal to remove automatic citizenship for children born to Malaysian permanent residents, which could further limit access to education, healthcare, and employment for stateless individuals, particularly those from rural and mixed-parentage communities.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, which was first tabled in the Dewan Rakyat in March this year, includes provisions granting citizenship to overseas-born children of Malaysian women and lowering the age limit for citizenship applications by registration from 21 to 18.
A second reading is expected during this month’s parliamentary session.
