Kho Teck Wan disappointed with the law on citizenship

suppadmin | September 26, 2020

SUPP Woman Chief, Kho Teck Wan expressed her disappointment on the case of a teenager who failed to get his citizenship in the Court recently.

She said she understood that adoption and citizenship laws are complex and very restrictive but could not help feeling sad for the Sarawak-born teenager who failed to get his citizenship.

“I would like to urge our lawmakers to amend the citizenship law so it is not subjective but clear and direct that every child born in this country is granted automatic citizenship. In the case of Sarawak-born teenager or any case where a child is born with foreign mother, being stateless means he/she is unable to travel to obtain citizenship elsewhere as well. Many waited for years to obtain citizenship, while others failed just like teenager L. They are literally stuck in Malaysia while being denied all citizenship rights,”she said.

She urged Malaysia lawmaker to amend the law so it is clear and direct in granting automatic citizenship to children born in Malaysia. After all, the circumstances of how a babyarrives in this world is beyond his/her control. I hope our legal system focuses on the wellbeing and future of the stateless individual instead of factors beyond his/her control.