It is interesting to read the last line
of a letter from the Malaysian National Registration Department (NRD)
which says “An application for citizenship still has to be made
based on the provisions of the Federal Constitution. Therefore, the
allegation on foreigners being able to obtain citizenship overnight
is baseless”. This appeared in the letter to the editor page of the
Star 6 November 2013.
I wonder if the statement is true, why
then hold a Royal Commission of Inquiry on Illegal Immigrants in
Sabah. Project IC as it is called has spawned so many theories of who
and why it began. As long as no answer is forthcoming, the rumour
mill will be on overdrive. This brings to attention as well the
number of cases of fake identity cards circulating in the country.
The robber with a fake IC shooting a bank officer is a case in point.
Getting a fake IC and obtaining a
citizenship overnight can be considered different. Would those
rejected after applying for their citizenship be tempted instead to
get a fake IC since it is a much easier option. Even though there is
at the moment an ongoing exercise to weed out those with fake ICs,
the effort seems seasonal. It is given prominence daily now but how
long will it last. So it might be worth the risk for those rejects to
get a fake IC since as the NRD says, being able to obtain citizenship
overnight is baseless.
The full text of the letter is below:
Citizenship
not a right but an award by Government
WE
refer to the letter “Please be fair” (The Star, Nov 7).
The
National Registration Department (NRD) refers to the statement in the
letter which stated that many locally-born Malaysians had yet to get
their citizenship while foreigners had theirs almost overnight.
Every
application for citizenship is processed in accordance to the rules
and regulations as provided in Part 3 of the Federal Constitution.
The
provisions for applying for citizenship consists of various
categories and take into account the applicant’s eligibility.
Malaysia
citizenship is not a right, it is the highest award given by the
Government to a deserving applicant.
Even
though a person has fulfilled all the criteria and eligibility in
applying for citizenship, it is subject to the Government’s
consideration and approval.
The
Government has the prerogative whether to award citizenship or not to
an applicant without having to give any reasons to the individuals
concerned and the decision made cannot be disputed.
For
the readers’ information, the assumption that every person born in
Malaysia and holding a Malaysian birth certificate is automatically a
Malaysian citizen is incorrect; a child’s citizenship status is
determined by the parents’ marital status and their citizenship
status at the time of birth.
By
having a birth certificate is not an indication that the person is
already a Malaysian citizen.
On
those who claim to be born before Merdeka Day but cannot provide
documentary evidence to support those claims; it is important to
understand that those who are born in Malaysia before Merdeka are not
guaranteed citizenship by operation of law (automatically). An
application for citizenship still has to be made based on the
provisions of the Federal Constitution. Therefore, the allegation on
foreigners being able to obtain citizenship overnight is baseless.
JAINISAH
MOHD NOOR
National
Registration Department, Malaysia
