Malaysia approves citizenship law for children born abroad

Malaysian mums can now pass on citizenship, but criticism over other parts of law remains

- Lu Wei Hoong

Malaysia has passed a law allowing children born overseas to Malaysian mothers to be eligible for citizenship, a progressive step that was delayed for months after activists and backbenchers railed against other provisions in the law when it was proposed.

The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed on Oct 17 with the requisite two-thirds majority of the Lower House, with 206 votes in favour in the 222-seat Parliament.

The move to allow both mothers and fathers to pass on their Malaysian citizenship to their children born overseas was widely welcomed.

“It is hoped with the amendment, we can finally give a little justice to the children of mothers who marry non-Malaysian citizens,” Democratic Action Party (DAP) lawmaker Syahredzan Johan told Parliament during the debate.

Yet, criticism remained over other sections in the new law. When the Bill, which is aimed at addressing statelessness, was tabled in March, backbenchers threatened to revolt over regressive provisions, which, among others, revoked automatic citizenship for abandoned and stateless children.

Some of these contentious points have been resolved in the new law. Abandoned children, also called foundlings, will be granted automatic citizenship, while foreign spouses who gain citizenship through marriage but divorce within two years of obtaining citizenship will not have their citizenship revoked and become stateless.