Home ministry counts 688 citizenship applications for children born overseas

The home ministry has received a total of 688 applications for citizenship for children born overseas to Malaysian women married to foreigners.

Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said this was from a total of 150,000 citizenship applications received by his ministry to date.

"We are sure that there are still people out there, but they have yet to submit applications... this matter is under Article 15 (2) of citizenship applications for children born overseas.

"We have segmented the applications and out of the 150,000 and it turns out that the higher category involves stateless children or children born out of wedlock," he said during a question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Mumtaz Md Nawi (PN-Tumpat) who asked about the number of applications received from mothers applying for citizenship for children born overseas.

To another supplementary question from Shafie Apdal (Warisan-Semporna) regarding the government's efforts to resolve the issue of stateless children in rural areas, Saifuddin said the ministry had set up a special committee team to go to the areas to assist with the citizenship application process.

He said the home ministry also aimed to finalise the 948 citizenship applications received in Sarawak before June.

To the original question from Wee Ka Siong (BN-Ayer Hitam) about when the amendment to the Federal Constitution could be made regarding the citizenship of children born overseas to Malaysian women married to foreigners, Saifuddin said it was expected to be tabled in September.

"The Cabinet has agreed on the establishment of a technical committee chaired by the secretary-general of the home ministry and consisting of committee members.

"This committee has held various internal discussions and we expect that they will need six months, which means that in September this year, we will be able to table it... I am optimistic that we will be able to complete it according to schedule," he said.