THE Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas (DHRRA Malaysia) has called on the government to review Malaysia's citizenship laws to better protect children born out of wedlock to Malaysian fathers, urging policymakers to prioritise the best interests of the child. The call follows a Court of Appeal ruling reported by Malay Mail on July 22, which reaffirmed that under the Federal Constitution, a Malaysian biological father cannot automatically confer citizenship on a child born out of wedlock. The court held that any change to the current legal position would require constitutional amendments rather than judicial intervention. While respecting the court's decision, DHRRA Malaysia said the ruling highlighted the need for practical policy solutions to address the circumstances of children who are effectively Malaysian in every sense except their legal status. The organisation noted that Malaysia is often cited as one of only two countries, alongside Barbados, where a biological father cannot automatically pass on citizenship to a child born out of wedlock. According to DHRRA Malaysia, many affected children are raised entirely by their Malaysian fathers or paternal relatives after their foreign mothers leave the country or cannot be traced. In some cases, the mothers are themselves stateless or undocumented,...