In Malaysia, cabinet moves to amend constitution to grant automatic citizenship to children born overseas to Malaysian women

[The Cabinet has decided to amend the Federal Constitution] to grant automatic citizenship to overseas-born children of Malaysian women. [...] [Women's groups support the decision, adding that it is] a significant step forward in recognising the rights of Malaysian women and their overseas-born children, who have faced numerous challenges in the past. [...] The Cabinet announcement was made in a joint statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail and Law and Institutional Reform Minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, who added that the amendment is expected to be tabled in the current Dewan Rakyat meeting. They said the Cabinet had agreed to the proposal to amend the Constitution, in particular Section 1(1)(d) and Section 1(1)(e) of Part I in the Second Schedule, and Section 1(b) and Section 1(c) in Part II of the same schedule. The proposed amendment seeks to address the long-standing citizenship dilemma of children born overseas to Malaysian mothers and non-Malaysian fathers, enabling them to become Malaysian citizens by operation of law, meaning automatically, without having to apply, as is the current situation.
Read the full article here: The Sun Daily