Selling citizenship documents is a betrayal to the nation
Constitutional expert Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Fathi Yusof said eradicating such activities was crucial as it posed a significant threat to the country, particularly in jeopardising national sovereignty.
SHAH ALAM - Selling citizenship documents to foreigners is an act of treason and should be met with the harshest punishment.
Constitutional expert Associate Professor Dr Muhammad Fathi Yusof said eradicating such activities was crucial as it posed a significant threat to the country, particularly in jeopardising national sovereignty.
"For cases involving bribery in the registration of foreign births, two types of offences have been identified. The first involves either giving or receiving bribes to carry out the false registration, which falls under the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) Act 2009.
"The second is the offence related to the fraudulent registration itself under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957. Those involved in such offences can be prosecuted under both laws," he told Sinar.
Fathi viewed the act of falsifying foreign birth registrations using fraudulent documents as a very serious crime.
"Therefore, those who commit such offences, including individuals registering foreign births using forged documents, should face legal action or be prosecuted under anti-corruption laws, which provide more severe penalties.
"Their actions are not only a breach public trust but also a betrayal of the country, as matters of citizenship are closely tied to national sovereignty," he said.
He added that the penalties stipulated under the MACC Act 2009 were sufficient to punish traitors who sell citizenship documents to unqualified individuals.
He said the penalties included imprisonment for up to 20 years and a fine five times the amount of the bribe.
"I believe this is an appropriate and fair punishment for offences involving corruption," he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysian Community Care Foundation chairman Datuk Seri Halim Ishak said board members of clinics and law firms involved in such scandals should face the harshest punishments.
He suggested strict measures such as blacklisting and suspending the permits or business licences of those involved.
"In China, those who commit such acts of treason can face the death penalty.
"We urge that the individuals involved be dealt with as severely as possible to deter others from attempting to sell the nation’s sovereignty," he added.
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