KUALA LUMPUR: The amendments to the Federal Constitution (FC) relating to several provisions on citizenship have been tabled for the first reading at the Dewan Rakyat sitting, today.
The first reading of the bill was tabled by Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.
"The second and third reading of the bill will also be presented in the same session (of Dewan Rakyat)," he said when tabling the bill, today.
It is expected that the bill will also be debated among members of parliament before receiving the Dewan Rakyat nod.
According to the blue book, the bill will accord equal rights to a child born overseas to Malaysian mothers. Prior to the amendment, a child born overseas would only acquire citizenship automatically if the father is a citizen of Malaysia.
The bill also seeks to amend Section 19B of Part III of the Second Schedule of the FC to provide that any newborn child found exposed in any place shall be presumed, until the contrary is shown, to have been born there of a mother who is a citizen.
Other changes in the bill also involved the insertion of a new clause 1A into Article 18 of the FC to require any person under the age of eighteen years who had acquired citizenship by registration to take oath as set out in the First Schedule upon attaining the age of eighteen years.
If the person fails to take oath within 48 months after attaining the age of 18 years, that person shall cease to be a citizen.
Previously, some of the proposed amendments include entirely removing Sections 1(e) and 2(3) of the Second Schedule, Part II of the FC; removing the right of foundlings, including abandoned children to citizenship by operation of law under Section 19B of the Second Schedule in Part III of the constitution; and removing the words "permanently resident" in Section 1(a) of the Second Schedule in Part II of the constitution.
The proposed amendments, however, received backlash from various quarters including human rights and women groups who labelled such proposals as regressive.
Following this, Saifuddin on Friday announced that two proposed amendments to the constitution pertaining to the citizenship of foundlings would be dropped.
He also said the decision to drop the two proposed amendments was made after taking into consideration all inputs following intensive engagement sessions with all stakeholders.
The two proposed amendments that were dropped are Section 19B Part III of the Second Schedule and Section 1(e) Part II of the Second Schedule.