Amendment to article 15(A) of Federal Constitution will be resolved as soon as possible - Saifuddin
He was prepared to meet with parties who voiced their dissatisfaction over the suggested amendments.
PUTRAJAYA - The amendment to the Federal Constitution regarding the citizenship rights for children born to local mothers abroad will be finalised as soon as possible, most likely after engagement sessions are completed, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said.
Engagement sessions on the matter were currently ongoing with stakeholders, political parties, non-governmental organisations (NGO) and activists, he added.
"We will settle this as soon as possible, currently I’m conducting engagements with related parties, so after we’re done, it will be brought to the Parliament,” he said at a media conference after delivering citizenship documents to 35 children at a ceremony here yesterday, adding that he was prepared to meet with parties who voiced their dissatisfaction over the suggested amendments to Article 15(A) of the Federal Constitution that the Cabinet decided on March 8.
"We at the Home Ministry are always open to meet them. It’s not a problem as I can listen to them, and they can listen from our point of view, that’s what a discussion is all about,” he said.
He also shared that 80 per cent of the 3,903 applications under Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution pertaining to citizenship through registration had been approved as of March 7, while the remainder were rejected due to incomplete registrations and also instances of fake documents and the child not being in the country.
"Those who failed can still reapply but they need to ensure the child is in Malaysia,” he said.
In other developments, Saifuddin said that the government will process the citizenship registration of abandoned children aged 18 and above under Article 15(A) of the Federal Constitution.
"Does this mean that the pathway to citizenship is closed to abandoned children if we change to registration? No.
"That’s just outside criticism that changing (the Constitution) will mean there’s no more chance,” he added.
The government had suggested eight amendments to citizenship provisions under the Federal Constitution last year but was criticised as blocking their pathway to citizenship by certain parties. - BERNAMA
