KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed changes to the Federal Constitution, which include removal of key safeguards against statelessness, could jeopardise the future of stateless children and generations to come, said Lawyers for Liberty.
Its director, Zaid Malek, said these included section 1(e) of Part II of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution, which ensured anyone stateless would acquire Malaysian citizenship; and section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule, which granted citizenship to abandoned children by operation of law.
"No reasonable justification has been given by the government for this act of inhumanity.
"Like modern-day Herods, the government insists upon carrying out these amendments despite the consequences to the innocents," he said in a statement today.
Zaid said children who were denied citizenship would lose access to education, healthcare, and future employment.
"Their fates will be sealed the moment Parliament passes the amendment bill."
On Friday, Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the cabinet had given the "green light" for the proposed amendments to the constitution over citizenship to be tabled in Dewan Rakyat.
In asking the government to reconsider the amendments, Zaid said Pakatan Harapan had championed the stateless.
The stance had appealed to non-Malay voters, which was a key target group for the coalition, he said.
"It is important to keep in mind that it is the fault of the government that so many are stateless in Malaysia.
"Their continued existence is due to the failings of successive Home Ministers and the National Registration Department to execute their duties as per the constitution and recognise the citizenship of stateless individuals."
He said PH had recognised the plight of the stateless and promised to address the issue in their 2018 manifesto.
He said on July 14, 2022, Hannah Yeoh, who is now part of the cabinet as the Youth and Sports Minister, had slammed the then Home Minister and urged the government to grant citizenship to adopted children.
MP.
"Considering the impact upon innocent children and foundlings... it is not too late to withdraw the amendments," he said.
