Foreign-born denied automatic citizenship

suppadmin | August 11, 2022

Sarawak United Peoples’ party (SUPP) Central Woman Chief, Kho Teck Wan expressed disappointment with the Court of Appeal’s decision that denied automatic granting of citizenship to overseas born children by Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses.

The High court on September last year made an landmark decision that allowed citizenship to be granted to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses. However the government had filed an appeal against the high court’s decision.

“SUPP through our Secretary General and myself issued separate statements on September 20th last year to urge the government to withdraw the appeal. Despite overwhelming public support urging the government to withdraw the appeal, our effort failed through, ” she said.

Kho pointed out that the court of appeal’s decision is recriminating against Malaysia woman and she supported Sarawak Women for Women Society in calling for the amendment of federal constitution to ensure gender equality. The word “father” in the Federal Constitution under the 2nd Schedule, Part II, Section 1(b) should include mothers and that their children are entitled to citizenship.

She urged NGOs and politicians to support SUPP calls to amend the Federal Constitution on paternalistic terms to ensure gender equality.