KUALA LUMPUR: Opposition members of parliament have accused the government of not obtaining the approval from the Council of Rulers for the Federal Constitution amendments on citizenship.
This, said opposition chief whip Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, was the reason behind the "indefinite" delay of the bill's debate and third reading in the Dewan Rakyat.
"Based on the Order Paper, the government has three matters which must be finished, including this amendment to the Federal Constitution.
"Normally, if something is listed on the Order Paper, it must be completed, regardless of the time. What has happened today is out of the norm.
"We in Perikatan Nasional think the government has failed to finish the reading of this bill due to two reasons, namely their lack of seriousness, and their failure to meet the requirements before tabling the amendments.
"Have these amendments received the consent of the Council of Rulers? We think they have failed to get the council's consent, therefore the debate was not continued," he said in a press conference in Parliament today.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, was tabled for its first reading on Tuesday.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail had said that the second and third reading of the bill would be made in the same sitting.
However, after the second reading was done today, Dewan Rakyat Speaker Tan Sri Johari Abdul had announced that the session had ended, without allowing any debates.
There was also no motion to extend today's sitting to complete the tabling of government affairs. Parliament will reconvene on June 24.
Takiyuddin, who is also Kota Baru member of Parliament, said based on briefings by the ministry, the bill contained eight amendments to be tabled and debated.
However, he said there were only seven amendments listed in the blue bill.
"We think this act (of not completing the tabling), is deliberate. They want to hide their mistakes.
"We have a list of 11 opposition members of Parliament ready to debate, but we have not been given the chance. We don't know how long this will be postponed," he said.
On Tuesday, Takiyuddin had called for the citizenship amendments to be referred to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee, which would allow relevant stakeholders and non-governmental organisations ample time to review and come up with better solutions on citizenship legislation in the country.
According to the blue book, the bill will accord equal rights to a child born overseas to Malaysian mothers.
Prior to the amendment, a child born overseas would only acquire citizenship automatically if the father was a citizen of Malaysia.
The bill also seeks to amend Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution to provide that any newborn child found exposed in any place shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, to have been born there of a mother who is a citizen.
Saifuddin on Friday announced that two proposed amendments to the constitution pertaining to the citizenship of foundlings would be dropped.
He also said the decision to drop the two proposed amendments was made after taking into consideration all input following intensive engagement sessions with all stakeholders.
The two proposed amendments that were dropped are Section 19B Part III of the Second Schedule and Section 1(e) Part II of the Second Schedule.
The proposed amendment under Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution would have involved an amendment of citizenship by "operation of law" to citizenship by "registration".
The proposed amendment under Section 1(e), Part II of the Second Schedule read together with Article
