Syed Saddiq: More pressure needed to resolve stateless athlete’s plight
More pressure is needed to help resolve the plight of e-sports athlete Muhammad Aiman Hafizi Ahmad, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
His comments came after reports that Aiman, who is unable to join his team in representing Malaysia at international events due to his citizenship status, is still stateless after nearly six months since the minister pledged to assist him.
More pressure is needed to help resolve the plight of e-sports athlete Muhammad Aiman Hafizi Ahmad, said Youth and Sports Minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.
His comments came after reports that Aiman, who is unable to join his team in representing Malaysia at international events due to his citizenship status, is still stateless after nearly six months since the minister pledged to assist him.
“I have the details. I have raised the same issue previously and the application has been submitted, but, to date, there is yet to be a satisfactory result.
“More pressure is needed. It is unfair if we can grant citizenship in one industry although the individual concerned has not resided in Malaysia for long, but not an athlete in a different industry,” he said.
He was speaking at a press conference at the Yellow Ribbon Convention and the launch of the Second Annual Yellow Ribbon Project at Spacerubix, Puchong, Selangor, today.
Previously, it was reported that Aiman, who hails from Perak, had to step aside from representing Malaysia alongside his teammates at international leagues on several occasions.
This is due to his lack of an identity card, which means he could not apply for a passport.
Aiman was raised by his adoptive parents after his biological mother, who is an Indonesian, had abandoned him at birth.
His predicament is in contrast with that of Kosovan-born footballer Liridon Krasniqi, who was granted Malaysian citizenship on Feb 3.
For the record, Syed Saddiq had pledged to help Aiman on Aug 30 last year.
Elaborating on the matter, Syed Saddiq urged cooperation with ministries, agencies, and NGOs to streamline the citizenship application process to avoid such incidents.
“Last week, I had a meeting on a case involving basketball. Before that, there was a case involving dragon boat racing. There are several isolated cases in different sports.
“We want to ensure that we have a streamlined process so these athletes are given the appropriate recognition, especially if they represent the country in the international arena,” he said.
In a separate development, Syed Saddiq launched the second annual Yellow Ribbon Project, which gives at-risk youths a second chance at life. This includes former detainees and prisoners, and former inmates of rehabilitation centres.
The project was launched in 2018, and has so far benefited 24,234 participants.
Are you sure you want to delete this comment?
This action cannot be undone.