After being stateless for 39 years, Hashimah finally became a Malaysian citizen today after receiving her MyKad from the National Registration Department (NRD).

Speaking to reporters, Hashimah said that she felt nervous when she went to the NRD in Putrajaya this morning with her lawyer Zaid Malek from Lawyers for Liberty (LFL).

"I still can't believe I have an IC (MyKad) now. I've been waiting to get an IC all my life," said Hashimah who is now 40 years old.

For the record, Hashimah (on right, in the picture above) has been an orphan since she was abandoned by her parents 39 years ago.

Since she was a stateless individual as a result of being an abandoned child raised in an orphanage, on Feb 25, 2020, Hashimah applied for Malaysian citizenship pursuant to Article 14(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution.

The citizenship application was rejected by the NRD on July 29, 2020.

Hashimah subsequently succeeded in her challenge of the NRD's rejection of her citizenship application in the High Court in Kuala Lumpur.

Judge Amarjeet Singh, in his decision, declared Hashimah “a Malaysian citizen by operation of law".

The High Court then ordered the NRD to issue a Malaysian citizenship certificate and identity card to Hashimah.

Hashimah to find a better job

Hashimah said that with a MyKad, she will be able to find a better job.

"I don't know who my parents are because it is not recorded on my birth certificate, in which my religion is also stated as 'undetermined'.

"The only thing I know about myself is my name and date of birth," she said.

"Now that I have an identity card, I hope to find a better job. I want to find a life for myself," she said.

She said she struggled to find work before this because she did not have an identification card.

Hashimah’s lawyer Zaid Malek

Hashimah’s lawyer urged the current coalition government to be more concerned about the issue of citizenship of children who were abandoned at birth by their biological parents.

According to Zaid, there are still many orphans who are not able to get citizenship despite being born in Malaysia. Just like Hashimah, they are also unable to trace their parents.

"We are happy today that Hashimah received her identity card and happy that this case has been resolved.

"We should also not forget that there are still many children without citizenship in Malaysia, who are still suffering because they are stateless.

"We hope the government will take concern of the status of these children, as the court had decided that this matter will be translated into the Federal Constitution," Zaid added.