LETTER | PM and govt, don't appeal judgement granting M'sian mothers citizenship rights

LETTER | Dear Yang Amat Berhormat Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Sept 9 marks a momentous day for our country when the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled women can confer citizenship to their children, on an equal basis as men.

This is a landmark decision as it acknowledges the suffering we and many Malaysian mothers worldwide have endured for decades on end.

We have endured unequal access to healthcare and education of our children in our home country, the splitting of family units, and multiple tedious and costly immigration runs to renew our children’s visas.

The burden of labour and childcare is already on our shoulders, let alone dealing with the pandemic along with the rest of the rakyat.

This judgement has come as a ray of hope, amid challenging times, that Malaysia supports its own people, and we are going to come back stronger than ever before.

Yang Amat Berhormat, in the spirit of Keluarga Malaysia, may we humbly request your leadership for the government not to appeal against the High Court’s judgement.

This will then enable all National Registration Department offices and Malaysian embassies worldwide to allow for expedited registration of Malaysian identification documents for our children.

We are also grateful that many key politicians have lauded this landmark decision including de facto Law Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar as well as Women, Family, and Community Minister Rina Harun.

This shows your political coalition is attuned to the people’s sufferings and recognises necessary change.

As Malaysia Day arrives this Sept 16, let us the citizens, who now include our children, remember history – that your government cleared the path towards a fair and just society.

A million thanks to you, Yang Amat Berhormat.

Yours truly,

Six plaintiffs in the case filed with Family Frontiers and affected Malaysian mothers.

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