Citizenship: NGOs want transparent pathway for stateless kids

With the perceived double standards in the pathway to citizenship, two NGOs urged Putrajaya to provide a transparent, consistent, and compassionate approach for stateless children to obtain citizenship, regardless of their background.

“Every child who calls Malaysia home deserves to feel that they belong to dream, to grow, and contribute meaningfully to this nation.

“Our hope is that the same commitment shown in recognising the value of our athletes can also be extended to recognising the inherent worth of every child in Malaysia,” the NGOs said in a joint statement today.

The signatories to this statement are Buku Jalanan Chow Kit and Borneo Komrad.

On Sept 26, Fifa announced that it had sanctioned the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and seven players for breaches of Article 22 of the Fifa Disciplinary Code on forgery and falsification, in regard to the citizenship status of the footballers.

Fifa also determined that FAM must pay a fine of 350,000 Swiss francs (RM1.9 million), while each of the seven players was also fined 2,000 Swiss francs (RM10,500).

The players, Gabriel Felipe Arrocha, Facundo Tomas Garces, Rodrigo Julian Holgado, Imanol Javier Machuca, Joao Vitor Brandao Figueiredo, Jon Irazabal Iraurgui, and Hector Alejandro Hevel Serrano, were also hit with a 12-month suspension from all football-related activities, effective immediately.

Yesterday, Fifa defended its action, saying its investigation found that the footballers’ grandparents did not originate from Malaysia.

Stateless kids in limbo

While respecting the government’s decision to grant the footballers citizenship, the groups urged Putrajaya to provide the same commitment to stateless children in the country.

They stressed that stateless children cannot continue to live in uncertainty, as they are now denied basic rights such as access to education and healthcare.

“These are children born, raised, and educated in Malaysia, yet the path to citizenship for them remains unclear, complex, and, too often, unattainable.

“For the children we work with, the process of applying for citizenship is not merely difficult; it is a system that denies them from the very beginning.

“They face barriers to education, healthcare, and safety simply because they lack an identification document that affirms their belonging,” they added.

To resolve the matter, the NGOs said they are willing to work with the government to come up with policies that would uphold a child’s rights.

“We are ready to work alongside all ministries, MPs and agencies to ensure that Malaysia’s policies truly uphold the best interests of every child, because no child should grow up feeling invisible in the only country they know.”

Many stateless children endure bureaucratic hurdles in getting citizenship, with some taking their cases to court for a remedy.

One particular case involves Wong Kueng Hui, a Sabahan who obtained his citizenship after 16 years of waiting, through a court challenge.

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