My heartfelt congratulations to Rohana Abdullah and her adoptive mother, Madam Chee Hoi Lan!
After trying for 2 decades, Rohana finally received approval letter for her citizenship from the Home Minister Hamzah Zainudin yesterday. I believe the approval letter is the best Raya gift for Rohana.
While I feel very happy for Rohana and Madam Chee, we must not forget there are many more stateless persons who have also gone through countless tragic encounters and experiences while living in Malaysia. Are PM Ismail Sabri and Home Minister Hamzah Zainuddin also committed to assist them? Are they prepared to address the policy gaps in citizenship law so that the other stateless children will not have to go through the suffering and tragedy Rohana endured?
Hamzah Zainuddin insists that the government grants citizenship only to eligible individuals. But why Rohana was not deemed eligible in the past 20 years? And why 3 months after her plight was widely reported on social media, she suddenly becomes eligible? What are the criteria the Home Ministry uses to decide who is eligible and who is not?
It has been my proposal to the Government that: –
- all stateless children whose father is a Malaysian shall be given Malaysian citizenship by producing their DNA test report;
- all stateless children legally adopted by Malaysian parents shall also be given Malaysian citizenship; and
- pursuant to the Federal Court decision on November 19, 2021, all newborn children who were left and discovered in a place without any trace of their biological parents are entitled to citizenship by operation of law until the contrary is shown.
I plead with the Keluarga Malaysia Government to find a permanent solution to end the misery of the stateless children. Let their predicament be finally heard this time. I really hope they do not need to wait for their time to get media exposure before they receive calls from the Prime Ministers and the approval letter of Home Minister.