FOR stateless individuals granted citizenship, many might embrace a normal life but for a few exceptional ones, it comes with a strong sense of responsibility to help others still enduring the same struggles.
Formerly stateless himself, Wong Kueng Hui said now that his rights as a Malaysian have been restored, he feels a strong responsibility to support others who remain stateless or face similar hardships.
Beyond that, he expressed a desire to use these rights to help create a better Malaysia for everyone thus why he opted to join the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda), dubbed ‘the new wave of politics’.
"When I was stateless, I had no rights. I could not join a political party, form any non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or protest publicly. Now, with my rights in hand, I am focused on using them for positive change and supporting those in need.
"That is what led me to join Muda, where I have met many inspiring people. One person who has influenced me greatly is Amir Hadi (Muda’s Secretary-General, Amir Hariri Abd Hadi), an incredible activist. His passionate and vocal approach to activism inspired me to step into this space,” he told Sinar Daily during an interview in conjunction with Movember, a month dedicated to raising awareness about men’s mental and physical health.
Wong said growing up without rights was difficult as he was constantly worried about being detained by authorities.
"I was arrested a few times because of my stateless status and lack of an IC, but thankfully, I managed to handle it," he said.
On top of getting detained, he said one of the things he feared most was falling ill as he had no means to affordable healthcare.
"As someone who was stateless, I took extra care of my physical and mental health because if anything serious happened to me, accessing healthcare would not be easy. When I could access it, I had to pay much more than other Malaysians, which I simply could not afford," he added.
Wong described the moments when he was finally granted citizenship as an incredible relief: "Imagine carrying the weight of countless burdens on your shoulders and then suddenly being able to set them down but along with that relief came a new sense of responsibility”.
He said he began to reflect on what this IC truly meant for him.
"I could simply live a regular life like everyone else; get a passport, travel, build a career, start a family and leave my past struggles behind.
"However, growing up stateless, I had faced many challenges and witnessed injustices first-hand. I knew there were still people out there living with the same struggles or even worse.
"Despite gaining my own rights, it did not feel right to ignore the ongoing issue,” he said.
Aside from Muda, Wong is also the Director of Mandiri Borneo - an organisation committed to empowering communities, particularly in Borneo, by promoting human rights, social justice, and progressive change.
Wong also highlighted within both Muda and Mandiri, he and his comrades focus not only on statelessness but also on a variety of crucial issues namely education reforms and police brutality.
Their aim is to empower the youth, inspiring them to engage with and actively participate in the democratic process.
"We aim to inspire students and young people to become advocates, championing issues close to their hearts; whether it is statelessness, education reform, fighting police brutality or any other issues.
"I hope future generations will continue this work, advocating for positive changes and contributing to a better Malaysia,” he added.
Born in Keningau, Sabah, Wong faced a 16-year battle that forced him to move to Kuala Lumpur and face the courts. He never gave up and won, on July 12 last year he finally picked up his MyKad in Putrajaya.