KUALA LUMPUR (March 27): The debate and vote on the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution concerning citizenship laws have been postponed to the next Dewan Rakyat session which is scheduled to begin on June 24.

Shortly after Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail tabled the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 for its second reading on Wednesday, Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul announced the adjournment of the current session.

The bill, which requires the support of at least two-thirds or 148 of Dewan Rakyat members to be passed, was initially scheduled to be debated and voted upon on Wednesday.

When introducing the bill, Saifuddin reiterated that the amendments are not about denying human rights, but ensuring careful management of how citizenship is granted to safeguard the nation and its people.

He said this approach aligns with the objectives of the Home Ministry, which aims to maintain peace, national security, and eradicate all forms of subversive threats, extremism, espionage, sabotage, violence and terrorism while ensuring the harmony of the Malaysian people as a whole.

"Malaysia, as a member state of the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child, has never denied the granting of citizenship to children stranded in the country. There is still a pathway to citizenship for children in this category," he said.

The bill, among others, seeks to amend Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution to accord equal rights to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers.

Prior to this amendment, a child born overseas could only acquire citizenship if one's father is a Malaysian citizen.

Other amendments, which have come under criticism from human rights groups include a revision to Clause 2 of Article 15 of the Constitution to lower the age limit for citizenship application to 18 from 21, in line with the voting age in Malaysia, as well as adjustments to the definition of a child as provided in the Child Act 2001 and the age of majority as provided in the Age of Majority Act 1971.

The bill also seeks to amend clause (1) of Article 15 of the Constitution to impose an additional requirement of having adequate knowledge of the Malay language on any married woman applying for citizenship by registration.

Furthermore, it aims to amend Part II of the Second Schedule to the Constitution by revising paragraph (a) of Section 1 to specify that only a child born within Malaysia, with at least one parent being a citizen at the time of the child's birth, is eligible for citizenship.

However, the government has abandoned its plan to do away with automatic citizenship for foundlings and abandoned children, which are covered under Article 19B and Section 1(e) of Part 2 of Schedule 2 of the Constitution.