KUALA LUMPUR: A non-governmental organisation wants the proposed amendments to the citizenship laws be referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC).

In a statement today, the Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA) reiterated its demand for the government not to rush the bill as more in-depth discussions take place within the PSSC.

Regarding Section 1(a), MCRA said the government is advised against removing the term "permanent resident (PR)" from the clause, as this will affect a lot of individuals who were born in Malaysia and have been residing here.

The MCRA proposed an alternative wording: "a person who was born in and is permanently resident in the Federation."

"For the foreign spouses clause, we suggest amending Article 26B(2) to include Article 26(2), so that the foreign spouses (who are now Malaysian) cannot be deprived of Malaysian citizenship if they will be stateless.

"This, given that they had to give up their original citizenship to get Malaysian citizenship," it said.

Moreover, MRCA said the age limit should not be reduced from 21 to 18 years old, as Malaysia has other legislation safeguarding individuals below 21.

"For instance, the Adoption Act of 1952. If a 19 year-old child is adopted, the child will not be able to apply for citizenship under Article 15A.

"Other legislation that includes children below 21 is the Guardianship of Infants Act 1961 and the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1982, which recognise that children and young adults below 21 require financial support in the form of maintenance," it said.

The MCRA suggested that the government either maintain the age of 21 or provide a grace period of three years, until Jan 1, 2028, before implementing the subsections.

Earlier in Dewan Rakyat today, the opposition urged that the citizenship amendment also be referred to the PSSC.

Opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan said the move would also allow relevant stakeholders and NGOs ample time to review and come up with better solutions pertaining to citizenship legislation in the country.

 Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail to the Federal Constitution (FC) relating to several provisions on citizenship in the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

The bill will accord equal rights to a child born overseas to Malaysian mothers.

Prior to the amendment, a child born overseas would only acquire citizenship automatically if the father was a citizen of Malaysia.

The bill also seeks to amend Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the FC to provide that any newborn child found exposed in any place shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, to have been born there by a mother who is a citizen.

Saifuddin announced on Friday announced that two proposed amendments to the constitution pertaining to the citizenship of foundlings would be dropped.

He also said the decision to drop the two proposed amendments was made after taking into consideration all inputs following intensive engagement sessions with all stakeholders.

https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2024/03/1030267/ngo-urges-citizenship-amendments-be-referred-parliamentary-special