Hannah and hubby: Officer listed 'Chinese'
Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh and her husband Ramachandran Muniandy, who failed to register their daughter's race as 'Anak Malaysia', clarified today that the final choice of 'Chinese' was picked by the National Registration Department (NRD) officer.
Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh and her husband Ramachandran Muniandy, who failed to register their daughter's race as 'Anak Malaysia', clarified today that the final choice of 'Chinese' was picked by the National Registration Department (NRD) officer.
They maintained that neither Chinese nor Indian is inaccurate to define the race of their daughter, Shay Adora Ram.
"Chinese was what the system/officer picked. We demanded for 'Anak Malaysia'," the couple (
left
) said in statement to
Malaysiakini
today.
"Considering that the ethnicity provided for in the system is already incorrect, it makes no difference if she's Chinese or Indian. Therefore, we proceeded with the system's selection in order to obtain the birth certificate first."
The couple said Shay's current ethnicity defined in the birth certificate was inaccurate, and therefore meaningless.
"Truth matters. Recognise her mixed parentage and her Malaysian identity and register her accurately is all that we ask of the NRD."
Yeoh told Malaysiakini on Tuesday she and Ramachandran wanted to put off the birth registration of their child, but the NRD officer had cautioned her that late registration of the birth would cause problems, therefore she had no choice but to proceed with the registration.
Kulim-Bandar Baru MP calls Yeoh 'racist'
However the registration of Shay as 'Chinese' instead of 'Indian' has invited criticism from some quarters that this was discrimination against Indians.
Independent MP Zulkifli Noordin of Kulim-Bandar Baru is one of them. He called Yeoh a racist and chauvinist in a posting in his blog.
"Was it because Yeoh did not want her child to be identified as Tamil or Indian? If this is true, Yeoh's attitude certainly gives a very racist and chauvinist perception!" said Zulkifli.
The couple stressed that their 'Anak Malaysia' application was not a bid to remove or abolish races in Malaysia.
"Parents must be given the right to choose to register their child as 'Anak Malaysia' if so they wish.
"For example, if the parents are defined ethnically as Indians and wish for the child to remain registered as ethnically Indian, they must be allowed to do so. Similarly for the Chinese, Malays and everyone else," their statement added.
Asked about the suggestion of DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng that they take the matter to court, Yeoh and Ramachandran thanked Lim for the support but said they have yet to make any decision on this.
"At this moment, we will keep that option open," they said.
Related reports
Hannah and hubby: Officer listed 'Chinese'
The real 'fathers' of 1Malaysia
