WANITA MCA notes the Home Ministry’s assurance that all citizenship applications submitted this year will receive a decision within one year, and that outstanding applications will be resolved in 2026.
This commitment, if implemented transparently and consistently, could bring long-awaited relief to many families who have lived in prolonged uncertainty.
In particular, elderly folk who were born and resided in Malay-sia all their lives can finally breathe a sigh of relief at possessing a blue MyKad; the preschoolers and school-going children can be happy they will no longer be subjected to bureaucratic hurdles on the first day of school; and young adults can eagerly pursue greater employment opportunities with legal identity in hand. They can all finally enjoy the privilege of access to public healthcare and education that comes with citizenship.
While setting a timeline for decisions is a positive step, Wanita MCA stresses that clarity on remedies is equally crucial for those whose applications are rejected.
The Home Ministry must clearly explain what options are available to unsuccessful applicants, including whether there will be a formal and accessible appeal mechanism, the procedures and documentation required for an appeal, and how long the appeal process will take before results are known.
Without clear appeal pathways and reasonable timelines, a faster decision process alone risks replacing long delays with finality that offers no meaningful recourse.
Citizenship applications involve fundamental rights and life opportunities, and decisions that negatively affect applicants must be accompanied by transparent justifications and fair remedial channels.
For more than a decade, Wanita MCA has been at the forefront of advocating for citizenship rights, especially for the right of Malaysian mothers married to non-Malaysian spouses to confer citizenship on children born overseas.
Wanita MCA has consistently assisted families trapped in prolonged bureaucratic uncertainty, raised individual cases with the authorities, and pushed for systemic reforms to ensure fairness, transparency, and compassion in citizenship administration.
Citizenship is not merely an administrative process; it determines access to education, healthcare, employment and a dignified future.
As such, Wanita MCA calls on the Home Ministry to complement its one-year decision pledge with comprehensive guidelines on rejections, appeals and accountability mechanisms.
According to the Parliamentary reply, as of Dec 31 last year, 3,738 citizenship applications were still pending a decision.
Between 2022 and last year, the Home Ministry assessed 52,444 applications, including backlogged cases, approving 34,423 and rejecting 18,021.
Also, more than 34,000 citizenship applications were approved over the past three years.
These figures highlight both the scale of the issue and the urgent need for clear, fair and humane policies to address cases that are rejected.
CHAN QUIN ER
Wanita MCA secretary- general
MCA information chief
