Statelessness in Malaysia: A cycle that offers no benefit to anyone

SHAH ALAM - Human rights activists have emphasised that the act of not addressing the issue of statelessness in the country is a cycle that neither helps these individuals nor benefits the nation as a whole.

Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) chairman Dr Michael Jeyakumar Devaraj said stateless individuals were socially depressed.

"Many of them are poor, which prevents them from attending school or sitting for exams.

"When they fall ill, accessing healthcare becomes nearly impossible as they do not possess an identity card (IC).

"As they reach the age when they could start working, they would encounter obstacles in formal employment because most employers require an IC number for registration, relegating them to the informal sector where they face exploitation and harassment," he said.

Jeyakumar stressed that the government was impeding the growth of a socially marginalised group, many of whom came from impoverished or parentless backgrounds, exacerbating their already difficult circumstances.

These individuals, he said could not simply disappear as they remain in the country without any viable options for migration due to their stateless status.

"Consequently, we are cultivating an underclass within our society.

"If they turn to substance abuse or petty crime, who could be held accountable? Can we blame them? It is a cycle that neither helps these individuals nor benefits the nation as a whole.

"It is perplexing why the government persists with such strict policies that ultimately serve no one's interests, there seems to be no real justification for maintaining such stringent measures," he added.

Echoing Jeyakumar's views, Lawyers for Liberty director Zaid Malek questioned why individuals denied legal status would not embrace any opportunity for legitimacy offered to them.

"It is a cruel irony to blame them for engaging in, for lack of a better word, 'crime' when the conditions they face leave them with no viable alternative for survival.

"What other choices do they have? Should they starve or watch their children suffer?," he said.

He said this during the "No One is Illegal" event which was held by Muda and the PSM.

Previously, it was reported that the Cabinet has decided to stop two of eight constitutional amendments on Malaysian citizenship law that would have affected foundlings in the country.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the two provisions were Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule and Section 1(e) of Part II of the Second Schedule of the Federal Constitution.

He said this was based on feedback from federal lawmakers, among others.

Saifuddin said the ministry initially intended to amend the two areas so that citizenship applications of foundlings would be by registration rather than by operation of law.