Home Ministry Scores Own Goal In Citizenship For Footballers


 


Citizenship has always been a contentious issue. Although the majority of Malaysians are citizens by birth or by operation of law, there are many whose status remains as stateless.
Every now and then, cries labelling certain sections of the population as pendatang (migrant) are heard – from politicians and their ilk who use it as a weapon when their arsenal is near empty.
There are thousands of Malaysians who were born in this country and yet have not been accorded citizenship for various reasons.
The latest is the case of Hew Ling Poa, a 52-year-old grandmother. She remains puzzled why she still holds a permanent resident (PR) status, despite both her parents being Malaysian.
Her younger brother is Malaysian, her late husband is Malaysian, her 25-year-old daughter is Malaysian, and her grandchild is Malaysian. However, Hew, now in her 50s, is still holding a red identity card.
There are similar tales of woe all over the country, but there seems to be no political will to solve the problem.
The fight for automatic citizenship for overseas-born children of Malaysian mothers is now in the Federal Court.
In September last year, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the government must grant citizenship to children born abroad to Malaysian mothers as the word “father” in the Second Schedule of the Constitution must mean and include mothers.
However, on Aug 5, the Court of Appeal overturned the decision stating that children born overseas to Malaysian mothers can be denied citizenship by operation of the law.
In the appellate court, judge Kamaludin Md Said and judge Azizah Nawawi took the view that the word “father” in the Second Schedule of Part II of the Federal Constitution meant biological father and cannot be extended to include mother or parents.
Naturalised footballers
While waiting for the Federal Court hearing, a turn of events took place on Merdeka Day when British-born footballer Lee Tuck announced that he had become a naturalised citizen.
He is a footballer playing for Pahang FC since 2017, and his citizenship application appears to have been fast-tracked.
But Tuck is not the first. Before him, fellow Briton Sam Somerville, Guilherme de Paula from Brazil and Liridon Krasniqi from Kosovo were granted citizenship. All three arrived in Malaysia in 2016-2017 to play in the national football league. In short, like Tuck, they have been in Malaysia for about four to five years.
British-born footballer Lee TuckHere is the shocker: From 2014 to 2021, 25 players have been naturalised, eight of whom had no stints with either Harimau Malaya or junior national teams.
This means football officials have apparently used their influence or pulled strings to get citizenship for players without meeting the basic prerequisites for their applications to be processed.
Article 19(3) of the Federal Constitution states that: “The periods of residence in the Federation or the relevant part of it which are required for the grant of a certificate of naturalisation are periods which amount in the aggregate to not less than 10 years in the 12 years immediately preceding the date of the application for the certificate, and which include the 12 months immediately preceding that date.”
According to the Home Ministry’s website, citizenship by naturalisation is for those who fulfil the minimum residency requirements and have adequate knowledge of the Malay language (the residency requirement has been outlined above).
Close one eye
I raised this issue in a column on the three last year and asked: “So, did the ministry breach its own rules and fast-track their applications? Was it not a dereliction of their duties or was it a case of tutup satu mata (close one eye)?”
So, what’s the beef with the 52-year-old grandmother who has lived in Malaysia for 47 years? Why can’t she be given citizenship? What about the mothers who want their children to be recognised as citizens?
If the explanation is that the footballers are professionals and are in the same league as Ronaldo or Mo Salah, it is gibberish.
The footballers who come to our shores seeking to make a fortune are journeymen who can find a place in leagues in their own countries. Most are represented by agents who peddle their wards to minor leagues in Asia.
Neither the Home Ministry nor its officials responded to the article last year because they could not provide plausible explanations for the decisions.
This was despite my adding of a footnote that the minister cannot sit on a pedestal and remain silent and should provide answers for the many wrongdoings in his ministry.
I don’t expect any response this time around, but I hope lawmakers will continue pushing for answers.
Hopefully, during the next parliamentary sitting, some light will be shed on the double standards practised by the ministry. - Mkini
R NADESWARAN is a veteran journalist who writes on bread-and-butter issues. Comments: [email protected].
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.


Artikel ini hanyalah simpanan cache dari url asal penulis yang berkebarangkalian sudah terlalu lama atau sudah dibuang :

http://malaysiansmustknowthetruth.blogspot.com/2022/09/home-ministry-scores-own-goal-in.html

Kempen Promosi dan Iklan
Kami memerlukan jasa baik anda untuk menyokong kempen pengiklanan dalam website kami. Serba sedikit anda telah membantu kami untuk mengekalkan servis percuma aggregating ini kepada semua.

Anda juga boleh memberikan sumbangan anda kepada kami dengan menghubungi kami di sini
Sept 28 Set For Case Management Of Family Frontiers Appeal Over Malaysian Citizenship Ruling

Sept 28 Set For Case Management Of Family Frontiers Appeal Over Malaysian Citizenship Ruling

papar berkaitan - pada 29/8/2022 - jumlah : 195 hits
Family Frontiers president Suriani Kempe speaks to the media during after court of appeal decision on citizenship certificates at Palace of Justice in Putrajaya August 5 2022 Malay Mail photo PUTRAJAYA The Federal Court has set September 28
Zafrul Ministry Mulling Use Of Apps For Targeted Subsidy Implementation

Zafrul Ministry Mulling Use Of Apps For Targeted Subsidy Implementation

papar berkaitan - pada 7/9/2022 - jumlah : 96 hits
The Finance Ministry will consider the move to use technology applications to channel subsidies to target groups more efficiently Its minister Tengku Zafrul Abdul Aziz however stressed that now is not the right time to implement targeted su...
Citizenship Will Be Best Merdeka Gift For Stateless Children Says Mp

Citizenship Will Be Best Merdeka Gift For Stateless Children Says Mp

papar berkaitan - pada 31/8/2022 - jumlah : 116 hits
Klang MP Charles Santiago says that not only are stateless children unable to achieve their goals they are open to abuse exploitation and trafficking PETALING JAYA Klang MP Charles Santiago says the best Merdeka present is to give stateless...
No Autonomy For State Level Pas To Choose Ge15 Partners Tuan Ibrahim

No Autonomy For State Level Pas To Choose Ge15 Partners Tuan Ibrahim

papar berkaitan - pada 30/8/2022 - jumlah : 430 hits
PAS has not granted autonomy to its state chapters to decide on partners for the upcoming 15th general election said party deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man In an interview with the FengRenGuan YouTube channel Tuan Ibrahim said the par...
Pressure For Ge15 At Your Own Peril Zahid Warned

Pressure For Ge15 At Your Own Peril Zahid Warned

papar berkaitan - pada 26/8/2022 - jumlah : 170 hits
Any move by Ahmad Zahid Hamidi to push for early polls could boomerang on him says academic Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid PETALING JAYA An academic has cautioned Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi against pushing Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob...
I Was Appointed Home Minister For My Integrity Says Zahid

I Was Appointed Home Minister For My Integrity Says Zahid

papar berkaitan - pada 23/8/2022 - jumlah : 156 hits
Former home minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi is standing trial on 12 CBT eight corruption and 27 money laundering charges amounting to millions of ringgit KUALA LUMPUR Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is facing corruption charges told the High Court here ...
17 Charming Fall Bunting Designs For Every Corner Of Your Home

17 Charming Fall Bunting Designs For Every Corner Of Your Home

papar berkaitan - pada 28/8/2022 - jumlah : 142 hits
Fall is coming and it is coming fast August is already gone and that means that summer is already with one foot through the door That also means that it is time to start replacing The post appeared first on
Zaid Partners To Sue Bar President For Defamation Unless Apology Tendered

Zaid Partners To Sue Bar President For Defamation Unless Apology Tendered

papar berkaitan - pada 29/8/2022 - jumlah : 183 hits
Zaid Ibrahim and two of his partners say the statements contained in Karen Cheah s press release on Aug 19 are false and scurrilous PETALING JAYA Senior lawyer Zaid Ibrahim and two of his partners have demanded a full and unequivocal retrac...
Bri Raih Best Bank For Priority Banking Dari Global Private Banking Award 2022

Bri Raih Best Bank For Priority Banking Dari Global Private Banking Award 2022

papar berkaitan - pada 27/8/2022 - jumlah : 142 hits
BRI berhasil meraih Best Bank for Priority Banking Best Wealth Management for 250k 500k AUM Best Private Bank for Entrepreneurs dan Outstanding Private Bank for Growth Strategy atas kinerja cemerlang bisnis wealth management perseroan
Ph Must Safeguard Its Voter Base To Land Second Term For Anwar Says Analyst

Tetaplah Beriadah Di Bulan Ramadan

Perumahan Izara Bayu Sutera Kediaman Idaman Tepi Tasik Dengan Ciri Smart Home

8 Resepi Air Balang Viral Di Bazar Ramadhan

Diet If Yang Berkesan Menurut Pakar

Lirik Lagu Raya Mana Nabila Razali

Fungi Wechat Yang Ramai Tak Tahu

Pemilik Kafe Tanah Aina Fareena Nafi Terima Notis Rasmi Peringatan Penutupan Parkir Restorannya



Koleksi 15 Lagu Hari Raya Terbaru Yang Meriahkan Aidilfitri 2024 Bakal Evergreen Bak Lagu Lama

6 Pantang Larang Penting Kalau Nak Selamat di Sekolah Asrama

Info Dan Sinopsis Filem 19 Puasa Playboys Of Plastik Hitam Astro First

Casimir Zeglen Paderi Yang Mencipta Jaket Kalis Peluru

Biodata Mohammad Rifdean Masdor Atlet Muay Thai Malaysia Yang Gegarkan One Championship Seangkatan Johan Ghazali Jojo


Salam Nuzul Alquran Kuiz Menguji Pengetahuan Tentang Al Quran

Ramadan Bazaars 2024 Exploring The Culinary Delights Of Selangor S Ramadan Bazaars

Linkedin Menjadi Mitra Plan Indonesia Buka Peluang Kerja Bagi 400 Pencari Kerja Baru Di Jawa Tengah

5 Hidden Features Of Wordpress Com

Hospital Kuala Pilah

From Gear To Gear Exploring The Mechanics Of Ram And Dodge Transmissions