PUTRAJAYA: Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has reiterated his stand that he is ready to engage anyone opposed to the proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution regarding citizenship.
Among those who have engaged in discussions with the minister are the Human Rights Commission Malaysia (Suhakam), the Bar Council, and various legal experts.
He assured that the ministry remains open to discussions and is willing to engage with concerned parties.
"If they have a reservation (to see me), I am ready to engage… at the ministry, we are open, and I am particularly open to being approached by them or initiating contact with them. I have no problem.
"I can listen to them, but they also have to hear from me, as that is what discussions are about," he told reporters.
When asked if the proposed amendments would be tabled soon, Saifuddin said: "As soon as possible. I need to finish my engagements (with political parties). Once the engagement is completed, I can proceed with registering it for tabling as soon as possible. Once it is done, I will manage the next steps."
Earlier, the government granted Malaysian citizenship status to a total of 35 children.
During the event, Saifuddin said the ministry was also committed to resolving the remaining existing applications before the amendments to the Federal Constitution regarding citizenship come into effect.
He said the ministry has considered decisions on 14,680 applications under various articles of the Federal Constitution.
Previously, Saifuddin announced that the cabinet had given the green light for the proposal over the Federal Constitution amendment involving citizenship to be tabled in the Dewan Rakyat.
Saifuddin had said the ministry would submit a request to the Dewan Rakyat secretary for the amendment to be included in the House proceedings, this year.
The amendments, among others, concern Article 14(b) so as to include the term "mother" in order to facilitate the legal acquisition of the child's citizenship.
Amidst proposed amendments to the Federal Constitution regarding citizenship, several groups have opposed the idea.
Among them are Lawyers for Liberty, Malaysian Bar, Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA), Bukit Gelugor member of parliament, Ramkarpal Singh and Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim.
Their opposition to the amendment, however, concerns the granting of certain powers to the home minister.
Meanwhile, Saifuddin said the Home Ministry has approved 80 per cent of 3,903 applications under Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution for citizenship of children born to Malaysians overseas.
Its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, said as of March 7, all applications for the category of children born to Malaysian mothers abroad have been processed.
He said only a complete application will be approved and the applicants will receive a notification from the National Registration Department.
"After receiving the letter of approval, you can only do the next process by coming to the NRD to make a certain amount of payment and then the citizenship certificate and documents will be issued.
"For the case of children born abroad to their mother's country, when the Federal Constitution is amended, they will be granted citizenship under Article 14(1)(b)," he said at the press conference at his ministry here today.
