'Stateless' STPM top scorer now a Malaysian citizen

Born a ‘Merdeka baby’ but forced to struggle for ‘independence’ throughout his teenage years, now 20-year-old Muhammad Omar Mokhtar Abdul Rahman can finally join the upcoming Malaysia Day celebrations as a full-fledged citizen.

This follows the Home Ministry’s approval of his citizenship application, a bureaucratic nightmare that started when Omar turned 12 and was rendered stateless after the National Registration Department (NRD) raised questions about the citizenship of his biological mother.

Lawyers for Liberty adviser Latheefa Koya said the Alor Setar resident received his good news via an official letter from the NRD dated Sept 12, with instructions to go to its nearest office for the issuance of a citizenship certificate.

“I am extremely happy for Omar and his family.

“It has been a long struggle for them which they should have never been put through in the first place,” said Latheefa (above, left), who represented Omar.

Omar (above, right) was born in Kajang Hospital, Selangor, and was issued a birth certificate with details of both parents as provided for at the time, but subsequently failed to obtain a MyKid and his citizenship was revoked.

The revocation was after Omar’s father failed to provide the NRD with a marriage certificate, as he was already divorced and estranged from his wife, said to be from Sabah.

A year later, Omar was formally adopted by his father’s sister on the advice of the NRD so that he could attend government school as a foreign student, where he excelled with the assistance of dedicated teachers and most recently emerged as one of SMK Kubor Panjang’s top scorers in the STPM exam.

When contacted, Omar expressed gratitude and relief over the life-changing decision, one that would help him pursue his dream to be a teacher.

“Alhamdulillah. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off me,” he told Malaysiakini.

On his next move, he said he is still weighing several study options, including scholarship offers received since his plight gained public attention last month.

More like Omar

Meanwhile, Latheefa stressed there are many more youths like Omar who have been denied their rights to citizenship due to no fault of their own.

“I urge the government to look into and process those cases quickly,” she said.

Article 15(A) states that the government may cause any person under the age of 21 years to be registered as a citizen in such special circumstances as it thinks fit.

Such applications must be made by the parent or guardian who is relative to the person to be registered.

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