Exemption sought for kids under state care

Putrajaya asked to give special citizenship consideration to ‘stateless’ children cared for by JKM

KUCHING: Special consideration should be given to ‘stateless’ children under the care of Welfare Department (JKM) institutions when it comes to the process of approving their citizenship application.

In voicing this out, Minister for Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah says granting citizenship is crucial in ensuring the future of these children and facilitating the adoption process.

“In our experience, it has shown that it is very difficult for our officers and staff in these welfare institutions to determine the biological parents of these abandoned children, despite the various efforts made.

“That is why, through the Special Commi ee for Citizenship under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution, we request that the children under the care of welfare institutions, especially those from cases like baby dumping, be given special consideration (in terms of citizenship application),” she told reporters here yesterday.

She was asked to comment on the proposed constitutional amendments related to citizenship ma ers announced by Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution.

Fatimah, who was met at the ‘Sumbangsih Raya 2024’ programme at Wisma Wanita here, said with such consideration, it would be er facilitate the adoption process for these children under the care of welfare institutions.

“The adoptive parents should not need to bear the burden. They have good intentions to care for the neglected or abandoned children, and provide them with a be er future.

“So that’s why we’re asking for special consideration on citizenship application,” she said, adding that there are seven

… we request that the children under the care of welfare institutions, especially those from cases like baby dumping, be given special consideration.

Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah

children under the care of JKM Sarawak-run welfare institutions whose applications for citizenship have been approved.

Fatimah said for these stateless children, it was difficult for them to access education, and their parents had to pay fees as the children were classified as ‘foreigners’.

“That’s why many stateless children cannot a end school, despite education being a natural right for all children,” she said.

Several non-governmental organisations have expressed apprehension regarding the proposed amendments related to citizenship, saying they might eliminate existing safeguards for stateless children.

Experts have warned that the amendments could exacerbate the issue of statelessness among children in the country.

The suggested amendments, if enacted, would among other things subject abandoned children to discretionary citizenship, placing responsibility on the children to prove their parentage.