Press Statement by M Kula Segaran, DAP National Vice Chairman and MP for Ipoh Barat in Ipoh on 24thJanuray, 2017
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Indian citizenship applications should be dealt with on a case to case basis
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that no flexibility will be given to the Indian community in this country who are not citizens to obtain the identity card.
His statement is uncalled for and insensitive. What he said makes one wonder if he knows the problems of Indians without identity cards.
Does he think that the issue which has caused long sufferings to many could be solved if the government takes a no flexibility stand? Is he sincere in wanting to correct the injustice inflicted on many for so long?
Is he aware that many were denied citizenship wrongly? I myself was a non citizen at age 12 and was given a red IC.
My grandparents and father were born in Malaya and yet I could still be denied citizenship. What more others?
I fought my way and was granted citizenship eventually but many others are not that fortunate as me.
The minimum that Zahid should say is that all applications will be considered on a case to case basis.
Zahid’s no flexibility stand is actually not in tandem with the statement made by the Prime Minister in August last year.
On August 7 last year, the Prime Minister Najib Razak gave his assurance that he will work towards resolving the issue of citizenship faced by members of the Indian community who were born before the country’s Independence.
Najib said the time had come for those who had yet to obtain citizenship to redeem their right.
“We will solve this in appreciation of the sacrifice of the Indian community who have contributed to the development of the country,” he said when launching MIC’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
There have been reports that there are hundreds of thousands of stateless Indians in the country and I have raised their plight and the urgency to solve the issue in Parliament but without avail.
Justice delayed is justice denied. If necessary, the Prime Minister should intervene if Zahid is not doing what should be done in appreciation of the contribution and sacrifices by the Indian community.
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Indian citizenship applications should be dealt with on a case to case basis
Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said that no flexibility will be given to the Indian community in this country who are not citizens to obtain the identity card.
His statement is uncalled for and insensitive. What he said makes one wonder if he knows the problems of Indians without identity cards.
Does he think that the issue which has caused long sufferings to many could be solved if the government takes a no flexibility stand? Is he sincere in wanting to correct the injustice inflicted on many for so long?
Is he aware that many were denied citizenship wrongly? I myself was a non citizen at age 12 and was given a red IC.
My grandparents and father were born in Malaya and yet I could still be denied citizenship. What more others?
I fought my way and was granted citizenship eventually but many others are not that fortunate as me.
The minimum that Zahid should say is that all applications will be considered on a case to case basis.
Zahid’s no flexibility stand is actually not in tandem with the statement made by the Prime Minister in August last year.
On August 7 last year, the Prime Minister Najib Razak gave his assurance that he will work towards resolving the issue of citizenship faced by members of the Indian community who were born before the country’s Independence.
Najib said the time had come for those who had yet to obtain citizenship to redeem their right.
“We will solve this in appreciation of the sacrifice of the Indian community who have contributed to the development of the country,” he said when launching MIC’s 70th anniversary celebrations.
There have been reports that there are hundreds of thousands of stateless Indians in the country and I have raised their plight and the urgency to solve the issue in Parliament but without avail.
Justice delayed is justice denied. If necessary, the Prime Minister should intervene if Zahid is not doing what should be done in appreciation of the contribution and sacrifices by the Indian community.
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