KLANG MP Charles Santiago said the best Merdeka gift that the country can give stateless children is their right to nationality so that they an celebrate Independence Day as citizens of the country.
He said despite 65 years of independence, the lives of many Malaysian children “remain in shackles” as the Government refuses to recognise them, thus leaving them with no access to education or healthcare.
“Things must change for these kids. In order for that to happen, the Government must review how they assess citizenship applications and communicate to applicants the reasons for rejection,” he said.
“We need a transparent and streamlined standard operating procedure for citizenship applications to reduce inconsistencies.”
Santiago pointed out that these children – some of whom have become adults – have dreams and ambitions but not only are they unable to achieve their goals but are open to abuse, exploitation and trafficking.
“So, I urge Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob to think through the issue of child statelessness,” he said.
“The best Merdeka gift we can give our children is their right to nationality so that they too can celebrate our Independence Day as citizens of this country.”
In 2016, then home minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi estimated that there are around 290,000 stateless children in the country.
There are several factors leading to the creation of stateless children in Malaysia, including the failure of marriage registration by their parents, unregistered births, adopted or abandoned children, and children of refugees and undocumented migrants. – Aug 31, 2022
