PETALING JAYA: Giving automatic citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers ensures equal rights for all Malaysians regardless of gender, says Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong (pic).
The MCA president said the party fully supports the Cabinet's move to amend the Federal Constitution so that children born to Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses can obtain citizenship automatically.
ALSO READ: Cabinet agrees to citizenship of kids born abroad to M’sian mums
"I welcome the Cabinet’s decision to amend the Federal Constitution," he said on Facebook on Sunday (Feb 19).
"I've always supported the amendment and raised the same issue in the Cabinet before.
"During my courtesy call to Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in January 2023, he had promised to present the amendments of the law to the Dewan Rakyat as soon as possible," he added.
Dr Wee said one of the resolutions passed at MCA AGM in December was to support amendments to the Federal Constitution on the matter of citizenship.
ALSO READ: Group hopes for swift implementation
"This amendment was also included in Barisan Nasional's manifesto for the 15th General Election and was raised at the delegates' meeting of Wanita BN before the election.
"Let’s hope that the amendment process can be carried out smoothly."
On Friday (Feb 17), Law and Institutional Reforms Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said and Saifuddin said that amendments of the Federal Constitution are expected to be tabled in the current Dewan Rakyat meeting.
On Sept 9, 2021, Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Justice Akhtar Tahir ruled that children born overseas to Malaysian mothers married to foreigners are entitled by operation of law to be citizens of Malaysia.
In his decision, Justice Akhtar held that the word "father" in Section 1(b) must be read to include the mother.
However, on Aug 5, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal overturned the ruling in a 2-1 majority decision.
