Children are a blessing.

Say this to any Malaysian and they will generally agree with you. A child makes a family, and many countries (Malaysia included) exhort their population to produce more children. Children enrich their families by bringing joy and laughter, and enhance their nations by providing tomorrow's leaders and workforce.

One would think that a country like Malaysia, rich in resources and wanting the population to expand, would do its best to claim as many children as it can as Malaysians. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Two years ago, Jamilah A (not her real name) became pregnant with her first child. She was shocked, dismayed and angry to discover that her baby would not become a Malaysian unless he was born on Malaysian soil. She took the decision to fly back to Kuala Lumpur whilst seven months pregnant. Now, pregnant again, she faces the same prospect.