MPs silent on citizenship rights as it does not win votes - Cikgu Rahayu
She cautioned against complacency, noting that lawmakers' belief in always being right could hinder them from truly serving the people.
SHAH ALAM - Rights activist Siti Rahayu Baharin urges lawmakers to look more into the citizenship law, ensuring amendments do not restrict the rights of stateless people to live a quality life.
The Buku Jalanan Chow Kit co-founder and teacher better known as Cikgu Rahayu said this following a statement by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail on citizenship law.
She said in the statement, Saifuddin said people had misunderstood and generalised the issue.
The statement, she said received backlash from the public.
"I feel like I'm one of them that YB (Saifuddin) mentioned about and we don't want this misunderstanding to continue since the real people affected by citizenship issues would be facing the problem head-first," she said.
Rahayu added that MPs preferred not talking about citizenship issues as much as other issues since it would not translate into a vote.
She said MPs might be afraid of losing in elections if they talked about the issue.
"A good government will win the election no matter what. It must then address and reform the feudal system that perpetuates the oppression of marginalised people, which is often maintained by those seeking to win the election.
"This should not happen in this government," she said.
Rahayu said this during a forum entitled "Hak Asasi Manusia Di Bawah Saifuddin Nasution - Apa Sudah Jadi?."
She highlighted the potential economic benefits for Sabah, noting that if half of its one million stateless residents were employed, the region's economic output could increase by 21 per cent.
Rahayu urged for proper education to help stateless individuals contribute to society, emphasising the importance of showing that they were valuable to the country.
She also cautioned against complacency, noting that lawmakers' belief in always being right could hinder them from truly serving the people.
"Don't be too comfortable thinking that you are doing the right thing because then you are not the best since you are not serving the people.
"Do not regret if someday you become the opposition, you can no longer have the power to fight for these things as much as you want to. This is something you fight with us," she said.
