KUCHING: The proposal to amend the Federal Constitution to enable children born abroad to Malaysian mothers to gain automatic Malaysian citizenship gives justice to these children.
In stating this, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said that the issue with regard to citizenship has often been raised especially by many affected mothers for a long time.
By amending the constitution, she said, it will be able to resolve issues related to citizenship.
“Now that it has been approved by the Cabinet, the next procedure is for it to be presented to the Conference of Rulers.
“When this is done, we will bring it to the Cabinet before tabling it in Parliament,” she said.
She said this to reporters after officiating at the Keusahawanan Wanita Bangkit@ KPWKM organised by the Federal Women, Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) held at the Dewan Majma Tunku Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah here on today (Feb 18).
The Santubong MP added that the matter needed the support of two-thirds of the MPs before the amendment could be passed, and hoped the matter would be supported by all MPs.
“In fact, the Cabinet Ministers have unanimously agreed on the proposal to amend the constitution and hoped the matter could be expedited as it involves many citizens, especially children.
“We want them to be given justice,” she said.
Earlier, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said in a joint statement said the Cabinet agreed on the proposal to amend the federal constitution to allow children born abroad to Malaysian mothers, who married foreigners, to obtains citizenship of this country.
The amendment is expected to be tabled in the current Parliament sitting.
They said, the amendment to the Federal Constitution involves Section 1(1)(d) and Section 1(1)(e) of Part I in the Second Schedule as well as Section 1(b) and Section 1 (c) in Part II of the same schedule.
“The proposed amendment to the Federal Constitution on this matter is to replace the word ‘whose father’ in Part I and Part II of the Second Schedule with the words ‘at least one of the parents’ to enable Malaysian mothers to receive their just rights according to the Federal Constitution.”
However, they said, other amendments related to citizenship, especially Part III of the constitution, will be studied in more detail by a committee established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (KDN).
They said, it will then be presented to the Cabinet after the proposed amendment is finalised taking into account engagement with all stakeholders.
