PARLIAMENT | The government will only accept DNA test results as a supporting document for citizenship applications, and not as conclusive evidence in granting Malaysian citizenship, the Dewan Rakyat was told today.

Deputy Home Minister Mohd Azis Jamman said the granting of Malaysian citizenship was subject to the provisions of the Federal Constitution.

“Each applicant still has to comply with other laws, especially in relation to marriage registration and has a valid state of residence in the Federation.

“The method of recording the citizenship status of individuals born in Malaysia by the National Registration Department is in accordance with the provisions of the Federal Constitution, Citizenship Rules 1964 as well as the relevant legislation governing the issue of marriage registration, legal status of children, immigration regulations and so on,” Mohd Azis said.

He said this in his reply to a question from Tan Yee Kew (PH-Wangsa Maju) on whether the ministry intended to use the DNA test results as evidence in identifying the relationship between the children and their fathers in citizenship application.

Responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Salim Sharif (BN-Jempol) on the ministry's stance pertaining to Malaysians with dual citizenship, Mohd Azis said the government would not recognise any person with dual nationalities.

“If you have any information on this, you can report it. If we know any individual with dual citizenship, we will ask them to choose which citizenship to be relinquished,” Azis said.

-- Bernama