Thursday March 29, 2007
Malaysia-Thailand to use biometric identification to check on dual citizenship
RIYADH: Malaysia and Thailand will use the biometric identification system to check on the movement of people with dual citizenship along its common border.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the two countries had already agreed to exchange the name lists of people suspected to be having dual citizenship.
“By exchanging the name lists of both sides we will be able to determine how many people actually hold dual citizenship,” said Abdullah, who was asked to comment on the detention of a group of suspected militant with arms and substantial sum of Malaysian currency in Southern Thailand.
Abdullah said there was no evidence yet to suggest that those caught were Malaysians and they had received any form of militant training or planned anything in Malaysia.
“In the past we have investigated and taken action based on the intelligence provided (by the Thai authorities),” he said, adding that the recovery of Malaysian currency did not mean those caught were our citizens.
Abdullah, who met the Malaysian press after attending the opening of the 19th Arab League Summit here on Wednesday, said: “The Malaysian currency found with them could also mean that they were planning to run into our country (from Southern Thailand).”
He said Malaysia had not ignored information passed on by its neighbours on suspected militant activities.
“It is not a question of having easy access as many of these people follow the procedures and enter the country using legal travel documents.
“Unless we check we will not know if they have dual citizenship,” said Abdullah.
He said the use of biometric identification system would considerably help in resolving the issue of dual citizenship.
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