KUALA LUMPUR: The government through the Home Ministry today has granted citizenship to 19 individuals.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the approvals were in line with the government's continuous commitment to grant citizenship to those deserving.
Among the approvals given was through Articles 14 and 19 of the Federal Constitution, he said.
"The granting of Malaysian citizenship to non-citizen individuals is the exclusive right of the government, which is not offered and given arbitrarily.
"However, the government through the ministry is always committed to examining and scrutinising every citizenship application fairly.
"Meanwhile, as of September this year, the government has processed a total of 9,539 applications (to be approved or rejected)," he said in his speech during the ministry's Madani programme in Bandar Tun Razak, today.
Also in attendance was Bandar Tun Razak member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
Saifuddin had previously said that the ministry is targeting to process at least 10,000 applications for citizenship this year.
At the same time, Saifuddin added that the government has also completed the amendments to Part III of the Federal Constitution on citizenship issues.
Following this, he said the proposed amendments would be presented to the Malay Council of Rulers this month.
"The government has completed the necessary amendments and it (the proposed amendments) will be presented to the Council (of Malay Rulers) in October, this year."
Previously, the government announced that it would present the amendments after the six state polls in August.
However, several non-governmental organisations (NGOs) including Family Frontiers, had voiced concerns over certain rights that would be removed if the amendments go through.
This includes the proposal to remove Section 1(e) of Part II of the Second Schedule and amendment of Section 19(B) of Part III of the Second Schedule, where such amendments will remove existing safeguards for stateless children, especially abandoned children and foundlings.
The organisations also highlighted that the proposed amendment concerning the citizenship of non-citizen wives of Malaysian men under Article 15(1) was unclear in ensuring fairness and protecting foreign spouses and their families.