KUALA LUMPUR – Who should be responsible for granting citizenship rights to the children of Malaysian mothers who are married to foreign spouses?
These are some of the questions posed online by Malaysians following the trepidations of a Malaysian mother, simply known as Esther who failed in her bid to seek citizenship for her child in the past six years.
“After countless trips to the National Registration Department (NRD), we are both very tired and disappointed. Two weeks ago, I was told by them that my documents were accepted due to the court order but they are not going to process them yet.
“When are they going process it? ‘Itulah mengikut pentadbiran kami’ (Such is the way of our administration),” the aggrieved parent tweeted on June 10.
After countless of trips to @jpnhqofficial, we are both very tired and disappointed. 2 weeks ago, I was told by them, my documents were accepted due to the court order but they not gonna process it yet. When they gonna process it? ‘Itulah mengikut pentadbiran kami’ pic.twitter.com/RTliD0JbCK
— Esther A_Malaysian_Mother (@EstherJohor) June 10, 2022
She continued her tirade and claimed that no one at the NRD knows how to process her documents and she was asked to come again in six months’ time.
“It has been 95 days since I submitted my Borang D (D Form). My previous application was under Article 15(2), and I waited for 2,257 days. How long more do we still need to wait?? Will I ever get it?
“Stop treating Malaysian mothers as second-class citizens and give us our document now!” Esther demanded, stressing that children born abroad to Malaysian mothers should be treated fairly in their own country.
Grumbling on the social media platform, the mother pointed out that it should not take an “eternity” for the process to complete.
If we get rejected, just tell us straight what the reasons are. Don’t put us as ‘still under process’ forever.
“It must be fair. I would have kept my mouth shut if the process is fair,'” she said.
Meanwhile, another Malaysian mother, Rachel Ng, claims her child faces trauma and depression as they have been contending with the issue for the past eight years.
“The moment we arrived at NRD yesterday (June 10), my son’s mood immediately switched from normal to downcast.
“Because he remembers this is the place where we spent countless of hours in trying to make him a Malaysian. He is traumatised.
“As a mother, I am ridden with guilt. But what choice do I have?” she said on Twitter on June 11.
The moment we arrived at JPN yesterday, my son's mood immediately switched from normal to downcast. Coz he remembers this is the place we spent countless of hours in trying to make him a M'sian. He is traumatised. As a mother I am ridden with guilt. But what choice do I have? pic.twitter.com/Zrc9wAgGsM
— Rachel Ng #sayaJUGAanakMalaysia (@2ndClssCtzn_Not) June 11, 2022
Ng laments that many, including those in government, do not understand what these children have to go through.
She also expressed disappointment that her struggle is not taken seriously by the government.
“All the mums have been trying for years. But we were never taken seriously.
“Now is our best chance to end this nonsense once and for all. But that means dragging our kids to the front line & fight with us. We’re tired.
When will this stop?
Esther and Ng had also tweeted under #ManaDokumenKami and #SayaJugaAnakMalaysia, which highlights the struggle of Malaysian mothers seeking citizenship for their children.
This follows the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruling last September that children born to Malaysian mothers are entitled to automatic citizenship.
However, the government then appealed to overturn the ruling and a decision was originally set for June 22.
The Court of Appeal had then refixed the date to August 5 after receiving further submissions from the government. – The Vibes, June 28, 2022
