Malaysia's Citizenship Reform: A Leap Forward in Gender Equality

Malaysia's move to amend its citizenship laws aims to achieve gender equality by allowing children born overseas to Malaysian mothers to obtain citizenship. Although this represents significant progress, the non-retrospective nature raises concerns, potentially leaving thousands of children stateless.

By Nurus Sakinatul Fikriah Mohd Shith Putera, Hartini Saripan, Norazlina Abdul Aziz, and Rafizah Abu Hassan, MARA Technological University Shah Alam (Malaysia), Jun 24 (360info) – Malaysia's legislative amendment on citizenship laws signifies a progressive stride towards gender equality. However, the non-retrospective aspect of the law has sparked controversy.

Under existing legislation, children born overseas to Malaysian fathers can receive citizenship, but the same right does not extend to children of Malaysian mothers with foreign spouses. The proposed amendment aims to rectify this discrepancy, granting equal rights to both parents.

This constitutional change is a landmark victory for Malaysian mothers, who have long campaigned for equal citizenship rights for their overseas-born children. Despite the progress, the amendment has faced criticism for not being retrospective, potentially leaving many children stateless. Public debates and consultations could help in refining these legal reforms to ensure they are both comprehensive and culturally sensitive.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)