*MEDIA STATEMENT BY M. KULA SEGARAN, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR IPOH BARAT RELATING TO CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS ON CITIZENSHIP*

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, packaging several amendments to the Federal Constitution relating to citizenship, was tabled in Parliament by the Minister of Home Affairs this morning. 

Later in the afternoon, the Minister of Home Affairs held a briefing on the amendments with all Members of Parliament from the Unity Government that lasted for well over an hour. At the briefing, Members of Parliament also raised concerns about other amendments packaged in the bill tabled today, including the reduction in age to apply for citizenship from 21 years to 18 years, and the change in obtaining citizenship from force of law to registration for children of Malaysian permanent resident parents (where both parents are permanent residents of Malaysia). The Minister of Home Affairs answered some of these questions.

I personally raised the issue of ministerial regulations (subsidiary legislation) to clarify the administrative processes in the future behind these stringent amendments, including timeline to process applications, how applications will be processed, if a mechanism will be in place to ensure applicants are updated on the status of their applications and given cogent reasons if their applications are rejected. I asked the Minister of Home Affairs that Members of Parliament be shown these regulations as soon as possible for our perusal and approval to the effect that they encompass the administrative safeguards abovementioned. 

In relation to this, two weeks ago, the Minister of Home Affairs also held a similar meeting with all Members of Parliament for that went on for about 2 hours, where various concerns were raised by us regarding the amendments, particularly regarding foundlings. We are grateful that after noting concerns from many Members of Parliament, the amendments relating to founding have now been dropped and are not found in the amendments tabled today. 

The DAP will be holding an internal meeting soon to further discuss this matter as well.

I also wish to inform that there is a Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN) booth opened in Parliament from today till 27 March 2024, specifically to address issues/cases from Members of Parliament relating to citizenship from their constituencies. Therefore, I urge anyone who is facing an issue relating to citizenship that is still pending at the JPN to approach their respective Member of Parliament so he or she may bring the matter to the JPN booth in Parliament over the next two days, to obtain more information on the matter. 

Rest assured, we will continue to hear all stakeholders and the various concerns many have with these constitutional amendments and bring your voices and concerns to the government and to Parliament.

M. Kula Segaran

MP Ipoh Barat