SUPP Public Complaints Bureau Chief, Wilfred Yap was recently approached by an individual for advice and assistance as the application of her stateless niece and nephew for Malaysian Citizenship is still pending approval. The predicament of her niece and nephew arose as their late father did not register his marriage to their foreign mother.
The above case is just one of the numerous cases handled by SUPP PCB and SUPP PCB is very concerned on this issue as stateless children who are born in Malaysia to a Malaysian father who did not register his marriage to a foreign wife are thrown into a complex bureaucratic and legal mess, leaving them with an uncertain future through no fault of their own in the first place.
SUPP Public Complaints Bureau Chief, Wilfred Yap hopes that Members of Parliament on the ground of Social Justice regardless of whether they are from BN or the opposition will speak out in Parliament on the issue and to convince the Government to re-look its citizenship policies on stateless children and to address the issue of statelessness by amendment to current legislation whereby in situations of stateless children who are born to a father of Malaysian citizenship would acquire Malaysian citizenship by operation of law notwithstanding that the marriage of the Malaysian father to a foreign mother is not registered at the time of their child’s birth.
From cases handled by SUPP Public Complaints Bureau, it was discovered that stateless children want to be Malaysian citizens as they practice the Malaysian way of life and Malaysia is the only home they know. SUPP Public Complaints Bureau hopes that Government will place the best interest of the child to be a “primary consideration” in its policy decision.
SUPP Public Complaints Bureau would also like to notify the public that SPCB is not the approving authority and merely advice and assists the public in the proper and correct procedures involved in their application under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution for citizenship status.
SUPP Public Complaints Bureau would like to notify the public that there are many individuals who might be facing similar problems but does not know the procedures involved. SUPP Public Complaints Bureau is always ready to give advice and lend a helping hand provided it is a genuine case. Anyone requiring assistance can always call SUPP Public Complaint’s mobile number at 016-7797688 or 082-246999 or go direct to SUPP Head Office to request for assistance.
(Photo shows SUPP PCB Chief Wilfred Yap being consulted by an individual on the current predicament faced by her stateless nephew and neice caused by non-registration of her late brother’s marriage to his foreign wife)