KUALA LUMPUR: Project Stability and Accountability for Malaysia (Projek Sama) has called for a green or white paper on the proposed amendments to the Federal Consitution with regard to citizenship.
In a statement, the reforms non-governmental organisation said the amendments should be accompanied by a white paper that explains the government's justification for the amendments, and furnish the facts, data and cases that guided its decision.
"We call for all parliamentarians, especially the government backbenchers and opposition MPs to protect the Federal Constitution from rushed amendments.
"No one should be blind supporters of such amendments, nor the Parliament a mere rubber stamp. It should play a vital role in policy formation, with transparency and meaningful deliberation in the lawmaking process, and that should be the new practice and norm under this government premised on institutional reform.
"While part of the amendments are progressive by granting citizenship of children of Malaysian mothers born out of the country, the other amendments are arguably regressive as they have far reaching implications for children born in Malaysia but nevertheless rendered stateless."
Projek Sama said civil society groups, government backbenchers and the Human Rights Commission have voiced real and serious concerns on the proposed amendments.
"We note that the facts and data defending the government's position are released partially and in stages without presenting a full picture justifying a pressing need for such amendments, not to mention some data presented by the Home Minister are starkly contrary to the experience of and data collected by frontline activists, civil society groups and stateless individuals.
"It is disturbing that constitutional amendments affecting the lives and rights of many are handled in such a manner shrouded in secrecy.
The group adds that it understands that the Sabah state government and many parliamentarians in Sabah are particularly concerned with the security implications of certain existing provisions.
"It appears that some quarters want to present these restricting amendments as a quick fix on Project IC. If these amendments can indeed mitigate the consequences of Project IC, the government should simply present facts and figures to convince the public.
"A rushed bill may be more damaging than just being a placebo, with unintended consequences including denying citizenship to some stateless natives in Sabah and Sarawak, and causing grave cruelty to abandoned babies nationwide, in direct contradiction to the value of "compassion" in Madani.
The NGO also cautioned that should the constitutional amendment fail, as how the first Pakatan Harapan government failed to amend Article 2(1) of the Federal Constitution in 2019, "the government's authority would be damaged, and such damage is self-inflicted".
