Bipartisan MPs want PM to rein in Home Ministry, ready to amend constitution
A group of 13 MPs from both the government and opposition have banded together to seek Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s intervention over a move to appeal the High Court ruling that struck out discriminatory treatment of Malaysian mothers with overseas-born children.
The matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry.
The MPs from...
A group of 13 MPs from both the government and opposition have banded together to seek Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob’s intervention over a move to appeal the High Court ruling that struck out discriminatory treatment of Malaysian mothers with overseas-born children.
The matter falls under the jurisdiction of the Home Ministry.
The MPs from Umno, Bersatu, GPS, PAS, PKR, DAP, Amanah, Upko, Pejuang, Warisan, and Muda want Ismail Sabri (above) to instruct Attorney-General Idrus Harun to drop the appeal.
“We, the MPs, appeal and urge Ismail Sabri to instruct the attorney-general to withdraw the appeal against the court decision on automatic citizenship for overseas children born by Malaysian mothers, in line with the ‘Malaysian Family’ spirit.
“In addition, the prime minister must ensure the Home Ministry respect and implements the High Court’s decision,” they said in a joint statement.
The High Court in Kuala Lumpur had ruled that a 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 court ruled that the Malaysian mothers and Malaysian fathers with foreign spouses should be accorded the same benefit.
The MPs offered to support a constitutional amendment to expressly state that the benefit is for both Malaysian mothers and fathers.
“The right to citizenship should be granted by overseas-born children regardless if the Malaysian parent is the father or mother.
“If an amendment of the Federal Constitution is necessary, we are committed to giving our undivided support to the prime minister in order to bring relief to mothers and their children who have suffered,” they said.
Without citizenship, the children are not granted the same access to healthcare and education as a Malaysian citizen would.
The statement was supported by Azalina Othman Said (Pengerang-Umno), Rohani Abdul Karim (Batang Lupar-GPS), Azizah Mohd Dun (Beaufort-Bersatu), Che Alias Hamid (Kemaman-PAS), Salahuddin Ayub (Pulai-Amanah), Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman (Muar-Muda), Amiruddin Hamzah (Kubang Pasu-Pejuang), Fuziah Salleh (Kuantan-PKR), Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis (Kota Belud-Warisan), Wilfred Madius Tangau (Tuaran-Upko), Teo Nie Ching (Kulai-DAP), Hannah Yeoh (Segambut-DAP) and Alice Lau (Lanang-DAP).
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