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Minister intervenes on behalf of stateless Mohammad Faiz

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Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah. Photo: Ramidi Subari

KUCHING: The Ministry of Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development has taken immediate action in reaching out to Mohammad Faiz Mat Daud Abdullah who was reported to have waited for sixteen years to get his citizenship application approved.

Its minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said that the ministry had just received the information on the matter.

“Our ministry is trying to contact the applicant,” she said when contacted on Sunday (Feb 6).

Earlier, according to a local daily on Feb 5, Mohammad Faiz is the first born to an Indonesian mother and Sarawakian father in Kampung Limpaong, Limbang, while his four siblings are Malaysian citizens.

The 28-year-old, who now resides in Rangau, was reported to have applied for citizenship since the age of 12.

He has managed to complete his primary and secondary education by using his birth certificate, however he claimed that the status in the birth certificate was changed from a citizen to non-citizen after the third renewal.

Explaining Mohammad Faiz’s case, Fatimah said she believed that he was born when his parents were not married yet or the status of their marriage ‘belum teratur’ (not properly registered) at that point of time, and thus by the law, he inherited his mother’s citizenship.

“The subsequent children, I believe, were born after their parents were properly married. Thus they do not face citizenship problems,” she said.

She said that with Mohammad Faiz’s siblings who are Malaysian citizens, then this should be a strong case to support Mohammad Faiz’s application for citizenship.

“Procedurally the final stage to approve this kind of application under  Section 15 A of the Federal Constitution takes too long.

“Imagine the agony, missed opportunities experienced by Mohammad Faiz and many others who suffered the same fate as him.

“Faiz is now not a child anymore. What happens to his application for citizenship under 15 A when now he is no longer a child?  Does Mohamad Faiz has to submit a new application for citizenship now that he is an adult, which I believe is even more difficult to get,” she said.

Fatimah thus pleaded with the Home Minister to look into the matter and to consider Mohammad Faiz’s application.

“To the Home Minister, I in my capacity as Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister, on behalf of our stateless children in Sarawak whose application forms are all in order, the necessary documents all attached, the parents of the applicants are now properly married and domiciled in Sarawak, the subsequent siblings status are Malaysians, applications vetted and supported by panel or the special committee.

“… please have a heart for these children and those who had waited for so long and now are no longer a child, like Mohamad Faiz,” she said.

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