Zahid requests details on those with both Thai and M’sian citizenship

BANGKOK: Malaysia wants Thailand to provide names of its nationals who are holding both Malaysian and Thai citizenship.

Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the two countries allowed its people to hold only one citizenship.

The Deputy Prime Minister said there were claims that individuals with dual citizenship were facing litigation or were involved in cross-border crimes.

There have also been reports especially from the Thai media that some of these dual citizens were involved in militant activities in southern Thailand.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who ended his two-day working visit to Thailand yesterday, said the issue of dual citizenship would be brought to the Joint Working Committee meeting in Kuala Lumpur this year.

“Malaysia is willing to cooperate (with Thailand on the issue of dual citizenship) if the biometric details are made available because we have a system for screening,” he told Malaysian journalists here.

Dr Ahmad Zahid, who is also Home Minister, met with Thailand’s deputy prime ministers Wissanu Krea-ngam and General Prawit Wongsuwan, who is also Defence Minister.

On other matters, he said Malaysia also raised concerns over the smuggling of drugs, firearms and human trafficking along the border area.

He said border walls and fencing would be built to check these problems and that on Malaysia’s part, he would be chairing a meeting of a high-level committee involving various agencies like the National Security Council, Defence Ministry and Natural Resources and Environment Ministry on border issues.

Dr Ahmad Zahid said Malaysia and Thailand had also agreed to cooperate on the International Transfer of Prisoners scheme by transferring Thai prisoners in Malaysia to prisons in their homeland.

He noted that there were 799 Thai nationals in Malaysian prisons currently and that 79 of them were eligible to be transferred under the scheme.

He also said there were 31 Thais on death row in Malaysian prisons.

Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi also took time to perform Friday prayers at Haroon Mosque here with Thai Muslims and made a personal contribution to the mosque, which is located in the heart of the Thai capital.

“The personal contribution is to build a women’s prayer area for the mosque,” he told reporters before returning to Malaysia.

The contribution was handed over to the Grand Imam of the mosque, Abdul Ahad, after Friday prayers. — Bernama