KUALA LUMPUR: The government’s decision to grant automatic Malaysian citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian mothers, a move expected to take effect by mid-2026, has been hailed by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
Its Chief Children’s Commissioner Dr Farah Nini Dusuki said the announcement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail was a significant milestone in addressing long-standing inequalities affecting children’s right to nationality.
The move follows the passage of the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill on citizenship provisions in October 2024, which amended the Constitution to allow Malaysian mothers to confer citizenship automatically on their overseas-born children, a right previously accorded only to fathers.
However, Dr Farah noted that the amendment would not apply retrospectively, describing the limitation as disappointing.
She stressed that children born before the implementation date must continue to be granted Malaysian citizenship through registration under Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution.
“No child should be disadvantaged due to delays in the law’s implementation,” she said in a statement on Saturday (Jan 10).
It also commended the Home Ministry for significantly reducing the backlog of citizenship applications, which has dropped from about 50,000 cases to fewer than 4,000 since Saifuddin took office in 2022.
According to the statement, amended Citizenship Regulations 1964 are expected to be introduced alongside the constitutional amendment.
In this regard, it urged that the revised regulations be made publicly accessible, application procedures simplified and clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) established.
It also called for mechanisms to allow applicants to track the status of their applications and to receive written reasons in the event of rejection.
To ensure smooth implementation, it stressed the importance of a clear public communication strategy, nationwide outreach efforts and comprehensive training for front-line officers, particularly those stationed at Malaysian embassies and diplomatic missions overseas.
