MCA adds to chorus pressing Putrajaya to withdraw citizenship ruling appeal
Wanita MCA is the latest to join a chorus of voices within the government pressing the Home Ministry to withdraw its appeal over a court decision to strike out discriminatory treatment of Malaysian women in the granting of citizenship to their children.
Wanita MCA chief Heng Seai Kie (above) questioned the attempt to maintain gender discrimination.
"My question is...
Wanita MCA is the latest to join a chorus of voices within the government pressing the Home Ministry to withdraw its appeal over a court decision to strike out discriminatory treatment of Malaysian women in the granting of citizenship to their children.
Wanita MCA chief Heng Seai Kie (above) questioned the attempt to maintain gender discrimination.
"My question is, if Malaysia is still to retain this obsolete mentality that permits gender discrimination, how are we to progress as a developed country to compete against other countries in the international arena?" she asked.
The High Court in Kuala Lumpur had ruled that the constitutional provision, which only granted automatic citizenship to overseas-born children if the father is Malaysian but not if the mother is Malaysian, was discriminatory.
The decision received support from several ministers, but the government decided to appeal the decision anyway.
Heng urged the Attorney-General's Chambers to heed public opinion and drop the appeal.
"Additionally, the government must also start to enact or amend the relevant legislation as early as possible to fully implement gender empowerment reforms to demonstrate Malaysia's sincerity and determination to promote gender equality," she said.
Heng said the discrimination against Malaysian women on citizenship conferment for their overseas-born children was a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (Cedaw) which Malaysia became a signatory to in 1995.
"Once again, Wanita MCA wishes to highlight that more than 150 countries in the world have amended their laws to ensure gender equality where male and female citizens enjoy the same rights on citizenship conferment unto their children.
"Unfortunately, Malaysia is one of only 25 countries that have yet to amend legislation that clearly outlaws discrimination against mothers or its own citizens who are women," she said.
The matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry, but some ministers have suggested that the appeal decision should have been brought to the cabinet first.
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