Focusing on solution for 'local-born' permanent residents - Saifuddin

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has committed to address issues surrounding the citizenship status of over 30,000 “local-born permanent residents” living in Malaysia.

Speaking to reporters in Parliament, he said there are three categories of people who may be accorded such a status: individuals who are adopted, individuals born here before 1957, and individuals born before the formation of Malaysia in 1963.

He said his ministry has also finalised a guideline for citizenship application under Section 15A and Section 19(1) of the Federal Constitution.

“I will reveal further details on this matter in my winding-up speech tomorrow,” he added.

Dewan Rakyat speaker Johari Abdul said earlier today that the Constitution amendment bill that was tabled for a second reading will be debated by 59 MPs and voted on tomorrow.

Saifuddin said that based on debates so far, some conflated two different groups of permanent residents living in Malaysia - one holding foreign citizenship and the other with no foreign citizenship.

“I want to state that if the number of local-born permanent residents is some 30,000 people, then the number of foreign-born permanent residents is seven times greater.

“Under the current Constitution, all their children (born in Malaysia) will receive automatic citizenship and that could create an imbalanced situation,” said Saifuddin.

He added that parents must register their children with their respective embassies here.

“Therefore, the ministry’s focus is to manage the total number of local-born permanent residents, from which over 10,000 of them have applied for citizenship,” he said.

East M’sian natives unaffected

Meanwhile, Saifuddin also said that Orang Asli and bumiputera in Sabah and Sarawak will not be affected by the proposed amendment, contrary to the concerns raised.

He said their status as Malaysian citizens by operation of law is guaranteed under Article 161 of the Federal Constitution, subject to documents required under the law.

Currently, the Second Schedule Part II, Article 14(1)(b) Section 1(a) states that anyone born in Malaysia to at least one parent who is a citizen or someone “permanently resident” in Malaysia is automatically granted citizenship.

The proposed amendment seeks to remove the words “permanently resident” so those born under those circumstances would have to register for citizenship.

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