IS the process open to abuse?
This was the pertinent question posed in a video uploaded on TikTok by gerakanpunegundisedar2 (@gerakanpengindisedar).
In the brief clip, an unidentified lady claims that while she was in the Penang High Court awaiting her case to be called, she observed that within that two-hour span, there were up to six couples going through divorce proceeding involving a foreign spouse, specifically from mainland China.
The question that arises is what is the status of these foreign spouses? What are their rights and are they entitled to citizenship? There is also the thorny issue of offspring. If born here, does the child qualify for a blue identity card?
The insinuation made by the seemingly nationalist site with a pro-opposition slant is clear – the system is being abused where “contract marriages” are used as a gateway to citizenship.
The “spokesperson” in the video went on to wonder just how many such cases are being rubber-stamped weekly. The consequence, she hints, is the dilution of the local populace.
This alarming claim was met with a lot of comments. Here is a sample of what is being said:
More than a few echoed the fear that this was the modus operandi to “seize power” or to “multiply their populace” in the future.
One netizen who claimed to work in a hospital shared his observations on such couples, noting that they behaved like strangers toward each other. He also mentioned that the foreign spouses possessed blue ICs.
A few others shared similar modus operandi in different states involving foreigners from other countries besides China. One surmised that the period for a foreign spouse to obtain citizenship was approximately eight years.
One netizen though dismissed this by claiming that securing citizenship entails a very tedious process.
The video though did have the desired effect in triggering the alarmist segment among Malaysian netizens. A few said this was an electoral ploy to increase “supporters/voters” for the party that holds sway in Penang.
Though one said this was nothing new.
One netizen countered with the observation that such practice was also rampant among Malays who marry Bangladesh and Indonesian nationals for the same purpose.
One comment though hit the nail on the head by observing that all levels of administration and enforcement needs to be corruption-free, lamenting that even religious authorities are crooked.
Regardless of the nationality of these foreign spouses and racial connotations being put forth, this is a serious issue that needs to be addressed, if indeed as claimed in the video the system is being abused.
This does not just affect one demographic but all Malaysians. – July 4, 2024
