Media statement by Dr. Hiew King Cheu in Petaling Jaya on Thursday, 6^th October 2011:

116,200 Malaysians given up Citizenship since 1980

There is news saying that some 300,000 Malaysian have migrated and left Malaysia since the beginning of 2011 until today.

At the same time, this was a topic raised by me in Parliament on how many Malaysian had actually given up their Malaysian Citizenship since 1980 till now, and how many are from Sabah. The written reply received from the Home Ministry stated that there is a total of 116,200 persons had given up and surrendered their Malaysian Citizenships since 1980 to August 2011. They had applied through various reasons and grounds. For the people from Sabah who had given up their Malaysian Citizenship are 41 only.

It is a common knowledge that the reasons for these people who had given up their Malaysian identity are majority for the purpose of migration to oversea country to seek for better children's education, business opportunity, for retirement, looking for a better living environment and away from the various problems and ill situations in Malaysia.

It is believed that many of these people who had migrated and had given up their Malaysian Citizenship are the "Cream of the Society", with high caliber, mostly skilled and professional, and many rich people. When they moved out they also bring along with them much wealth and caused serious "brain drain" in Malaysia.

On the other hand, Malaysia and especially in Sabah we have plenty supply of "New Malaysian". From the official figures given, there are some 91,190 "new Malaysian" being given the MYcard (citizenships) in Sabah since January to June 2011. This figure is alarming and what is the reason that so many "new Malaysian" can be approved in such a short period. It is estimated around 125 new Malaysian being produced in Sabah everyday. How come these people mostly Pilipino and Indonesian can obtain the Malaysian citizenships?

The government should review and thoroughly check on the reason why Malaysians are ditching their citizenship. It is very much to do with the current situation in Malaysia which caused them to refuse continuing to be a Malaysian. The drop in the economy, the poor education system, the lack in job opportunities, low pay scales, rampant race and religion problems, and lack of business opportunity along with other unfair situations within Malaysia when compared with those better conditions offered overseas, we can visualize that the people are not happy and would choose to leave Malaysia.

It is high time that we should put a stop to this outflow of our valued Malaysians who are going away and we should try to change the current situation in the country to attract the estimated 1.4 millions of Malaysian who are staying away from home. We must bring back those who had left, and it will be of much benefit to the country and its people. To grant citizenship status to foreigners in huge numbers will harm the country especially in Sabah.

* Dr Hiew King Cheu, MP for Kota Kinabalu