KUALA LUMPUR: While the Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA) does not consider the cabinet's approval of the citizenship amendment proposal for the Dewan Rakyat a triumph, it will remain committed to maintaining an avenue for dialogue should the need arise.
Its spokeswoman, Sharmila Sekaran expressed concerns that the proposed amendment failed to address the root issues of statelessness.
She said it was time for the ministry to take civil society's suggestions seriously rather than simply consulting for the sake of appearances.
"This isn't a win for us, and it's a setback. It's disheartening to witness the rights of mothers being undermined in this amendment proposal.
"However, if we are invited to discuss potential changes, we will participate. Decisions on amendments cannot be made solely by ministers; they must include the voices of civil societies.
"If the ministry were to push the amendment, they must ensure that they will have a clear act and specific regulations under it. It must be evident and the details, including the process and timeline, must be transparent," she told the New Straits Times.
Sharmila said it was necessary to include stakeholders, especially civil society, in discussions to ensure fairness in the amendment process.
Thus, she said that distinguishing between stateless individuals, Malaysian citizens denied citizenship, and migrants or refugees was also needed.
"If the number of stateless children increases and more people struggle to obtain citizenship, it could pose a national security threat.
"Without clear processes and procedures, including a statelessness determination process, we risk creating larger problems," she warned.
She also cautioned that without a clear pathway out of statelessness, affected individuals would remain stuck in Malaysia, unable to contribute formally to the nation's development, potentially leading to significant social and economic issues that could destabilise the country.
"The problems of human trafficking and exploitation also will remain if there are no solutions on this matter."
Her remarks come on the heels of the Home Minister's announcement that the Cabinet had given the green light for the proposal over the Federal Constitution amendment involving citizenship to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat.
Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the ministry would also submit a request to the Dewan Rakyat's secretary for the amendment to be included in the House proceedings this year.
Earlier, the group reiterated its call for the government to decouple proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution concerning citizenship matters.
In a statement issued today, the group said the government must cease treating children's rights as negotiable and instead swiftly proceed with the amendment granting Malaysian mothers the right to confer citizenship upon their overseas-born children.
They also urged the government to drop the five regressive amendments that endanger the welfare of vulnerable children.
