THE Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) notes the Court of Appeal's decision on Aug 5 in the case of Government of Malaysia vs Suriani Kempe & Ors, which overturned the Kuala Lumpur High Court decision of Sept 9, 2021, which allowed Malaysian mothers with a non-Malaysian spouse to confer citizenship to their foreign-born children through operation of law.
Suhakam wishes to express its disappointment on the recent Court of Appeal decision which will negatively impact, not only Malaysian mothers but also their children, particularly in meeting their basic needs including access to medical services, education, citizenship and other rights guaranteed to all Malaysian citizens under Malaysian law.