KUALA LUMPUR: Segambut member of parliament Hannah Yeoh has asked the government if stateless children should aim to become professional football players in order to gain Malaysian citizenship.
Yeoh, who is former deputy women, family and community development minister, was referring to Sri Pahang FC midfielder Lee Tuck, who became a naturalised Malaysian citizen recently.
"Must we get all our stateless children to play football before the authorities pay heed to their plight?
"This is why I had earlier advocated for a Ministry for Children because we can afford billions for men's interests, but peanuts for protection of children," the DAP lawmaker said in a tweet today.
Last year, Yeoh urged the government to establish a ministry for children, saying the Covid-19 pandemic had exposed and amplified weaknesses in Malaysia's systems to protect children.
On Aug 31, Tuck, 34, posted on his Instagram page to announce his citizenship, expressing gratitude to Sri Pahang leaders and its owner, Tengku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ahmad Shah.
Other football players who are naturalised Malaysian citizens are Mohamadou Sumareh, Liridon Krasniqi and Guilherme De Paula.