Jeffrey
KOTA KINABALU (Oct 4): The Sabah Cabinet is of the opinion that the state should be exempted from the citizenship amendment bills which are expected to be tabled at a Dewan Rakyat sitting this month.
Deputy Chief Minister I Datuk Seri Jeffrey Kitingan said this is following a recent Cabinet meeting where they discussed and agreed on the stance.
“The amendment to the Federal Constitution on citizenship is a double-edged sword. It may be good on one hand, but not good on the other.
“As far as Sabah is concerned – we have discussed in the Cabinet also – we do not want it to have a negative impact on our population in particular, because our rural population sometimes do not have access and they become stateless as well.
“So we do not want to mix up. We are sensitive on this issue because it opens up doors for illegal immigrants. At the moment, we will say that if you want to do this amendment, let it only apply in Semenanjung. This is our stand,” he told reporters after presenting appointment letters to Sabah Paddy and Rice Board members at Hyatt Centric here today.
It is inferred from Jeffrey’s statement that Sabah Members of Parliament (MP) leaning towards the State Government would likely be supporting against the controversial amendment bills in the upcoming Dewan Rakyat sitting. Most of the state MPs have not voiced their stand on the matter.
Last week, 63 organisations had urged all Sabah MPs to vote against the proposed amendments, and they also urged the Federal Government to hear from Sabah MPs, assemblymen, civil society, etc., before going through with the proposals.
The organisations pointed out that one of the amendments, a proposal to remove automatic citizenship for children born to Malaysian permanent residents, would exacerbate matters for stateless people in Sabah and hinder their access to education, employment and health services.
They also highlighted that the amendment would grant overseas-born children of Malaysian women citizenship and lower the age limit to apply for citizenship by registration from 21 to 18.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on March 25.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail in July said there were still some matters that needed to be refined, although they received positive feedback from the Conference of Rulers.
