KOTA KINABALU – The high court’s recent decision to award Malaysian citizenship to Wong Kueng Hui, whose father is Malaysian and mother Indonesian, will open the door to many more cases that need fair and big-hearted attention on the part of the government and bring forth an amicable solution, said United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.
Hoping that the government, especially the National Registration Department (NRD), will not appeal the high court’s decision, Tangau said there are many others who are in a similar predicament and need to be awarded citizenship status as Malaysian.
“The verdicts from the two tiers of the court are sufficient to grant Wong Kueng Hui his citizenship and others who are in a similar dilemma.
“Upko hopes that the government will use the latest legal decision as an important reference case to resolve similar cases that require long-term remedial action,” he said in a statement today.
Last Wednesday, FMT reported that a three-member bench affirmed a decision by the high court on October 21, 2019, declaring that Wong is a Malaysian citizen based on the Second Schedule, Part II under Section 1(e) of the federal constitution.
It is a provision under which those born within Malaysia and are not born a citizen of any other country are entitled to Malaysian citizenship by operation of law.
High court judge Nordin Hassan had ordered the NRD director-general to issue a citizenship certificate and identification card to Wong.
Tangau said that all parties should know that a comprehensive settlement of cases such as Wong’s is important to maintain the harmony of the lives of individuals affected.
“We cannot leave it to the courts’ decisions alone; the federal government and the Sabah government need to take proactive action to resolve such cases.
“If necessary, current laws need to be reviewed and amended to avoid undue burden on the part of individuals such as Wong Kueng Hui in the future,” he said. – The Vibes, January 23, 2022
