PUTRAJAYA: The backlog of longstanding citizenship applications is expected to be resolved by the end of the first quarter, says Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail (pic).
"There are fewer than 4,000, and I am optimistic we can resolve this backlog of applications that have been around for five, 10, even 15 years by the first quarter.
"Decisions on these applications will be made by then," he said after his ministerial address at Dewan De Seri Endon in Puspanitapuri here on Thursday (Jan 8).
On automatic citizenship for children born abroad to Malaysian mothers, he said that the government has set a target of June to July for the relevant legal amendments to take effect.
"Why such a long period when Parliament has already passed the amendments? There are still several other issues to resolve.
"This includes the need to inform all our diplomatic missions around the world of the amendments.
"This is an accomplishment by the Madani government for mothers who have faced these issues for a long time," he added.
