KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 3,407 Indian red identification card holders will be given citizenship as outlined in the Pakatan Harapan (PH) manifesto.
Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said however the process of issuing MyKads would take time as there would be several requirements to be met.
Dr Mahathir said MyKad would be issued upon application at the National Registration Department (NRD) for red card holders aged 60 and above.
"There are certain conditions that are required for those who apply for citizenship.
"If he is a red card holder, 60-years-old and above, he will be given a blue card (MyKad). He has to fill a form at the NRD.
"Nothing is easy with the government," Dr Mahathir told a media conference after chairing a special committee meeting on foreign workers' management at the Parliament today.
As for those under the age of 60, citizenship would be granted if one parent is a Malaysian.
The applicant must also be Malaysian-born and pass a "simple" Bahasa Malaysia competency test.
"The Bahasa Malaysia competency test will only touch on simple use of the language. If they pass, then we will accept them (as citizen). There will also be a requirement for them to be based in Malaysia for at least 12 years, in which they have actually resided in the country for 10 years, according to the Federal Constitution."
To a question concerning the category below the age of 60, Dr Mahathir said the government would look into the feasibility of accepting the criteria whereby the applicant's parents' marriage was not registered.
"On parents whose marriage is yet to be registered, these are things we need to discuss.
"But some are clear cut as stated in the law.
"Nowadays, we have (to look into) LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender) matters, men marrying men, women marrying women and they have children too. We are facing new biological changes and things," Dr Mahathir quipped.
Dr Mahathir assured that such pledges in the PH manifesto would be met.
"That is what we had promised in the PH manifesto and we have decided to do it, we are trying to fulfil our promise.
"But the process will take quite some time. We will try to do our best in addressing the red card issue."
Additional reporting by Teh Athira Yusof.