#HAKRAM-HAK RAKYAT MALAYSIA 

***Key changes to Malaysia's citizenship laws in Federal Constitution

*The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed by the Dewan Rakyat on Oct 17, 2024, and will have to be passed by the Dewan Negara, and receive royal assent and be gazetted to take legal effect.

Provisions in Federal Constitution

Amendments (change in wording)

Before

After

Section 1(b) + Section 1(c) of Part II, Second Schedule

Replaces "whose father" ---> "of whose parents one at least"

Only Malaysian fathers' overseas-born children can automatically be Malaysians

✅Malaysian mothers' kids born abroad can automatically be Malaysians too (❗Note: does not apply retroactively / to existing cases / children born before amendment)

Section 1(a) of Part II, Second Schedule

Deletes "permanently resident"

Children born to permanent residents in Malaysia can have automatic citizenship

❗Children born to permanent residents in Malaysia can't have automatic citizenship anymore, need to apply

Article 15(2) + Article 15A

Reduces age limit to apply for citizenship reduced: 21-->18

Stateless child aged below 21 can apply to be registered as Malaysian citizen

❗Reduces time that a stateless child can apply for Malaysian citizenship by 3 years

Article 26(2)

Replaces “date of the marriage” --> "date of the acquisition of citizenship by registration"

Malaysian govt may remove foreign wife's Malaysian citizenship, if marriage to Malaysian ends within 2 years of them marrying

❗Malaysian govt may remove foreign wife's Malaysian citizenship, if marriage to Malaysian ends within 2 years of her becoming Malaysian

Source: Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA), news reports • This list is non-exhaustive, but covers the key amendments which the MCRA have raised concerns about. Info as of Oct 17, 2024.

***MALAYSIANS!!!       

 KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!

***RAKYAT MALAYSIA!!!

KETAHUI HAK ANDA!!!

The Federal Constitution of Malaysia (Malay: Perlembagaan Persekutuan Malaysia), which came into force in 1957 as the Constitution of the Federation of Malaya and was amended in 1963 to form the Constitution of Malaysia, is the supreme law of Malaysia and contains a total of 183 articles.[1] It is a written legal document influenced by two previous documents, the Federation of Malaya Agreement 1948 and the Independence Constitution of 1957. The Federation was initially called the Federation of Malaya (Malay: Persekutuan Tanah Melayu) and it adopted its present name, Malaysia, when the states of Sabah, Sarawak and Singapore (now independent) became part of the Federation.[2] The Constitution establishes the Federation as a constitutional monarchy, having the Yang di-Pertuan Agong as the Head of State with largely ceremonial roles.[3] It provides for the establishment and organisation of three main branches of the government: the bicameral legislative branch called the Parliament, which consists of the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) and the Senate (Dewan Negara); the executive branch led by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet Ministers and the judicial branch headed by the Federal Court.[4]

The Constitution, in its current form (1 November 2010), consists of 15 Parts containing 230 articles and 13 schedules (including 57 amendments).

Parts

• Part I – The States, Religion and Law of the Federation

• Part II – Fundamental Liberties

• Part III – Citizenship

• Part IV – The Federation

• Part V – The States Sarawak

• Part VI – Relations Between the Federation and the States

• Part VII – Financial Provisions

• Part VIII – Elections

• Part IX – The Judiciary

• Part X – Public Services

• Part XI – Special Powers Against Subversion, Organised Violence, and Acts and Crimes Prejudicial to the Public and Emergency Powers

• Part XII – General and Miscellaneous

• Part XIIA – Additional Protections for States of Sabah and Sarawak

• Part XIII – Temporary and Transitional Provisions

• Part XIV – Saving for Rulers' Sovereignty, etc.

• Part XV – Proceedings Against the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Rulers.