Fast, factual wire coverage from across Malaysia and the region.
A recent Court of Appeal decision has reignited debate over Malaysia's citizenship laws, which deny nationality to children born to unmarried Malaysian fathers and foreign mothers—even when DNA confirms paternity and the children have grown up entirely in Malaysia.
A Pahang-born woman has lost her High Court challenge for automatic Malaysian citizenship after Judge Norliza Othman ruled she could not establish her parents were legally married, causing her citizenship to follow her Indonesian mother instead.
Umno's Azalina Othman Said has underscored Malaysia's status as a homeland for all citizens, invoking constitutional guarantees in response to remarks by Perikatan Nasional's election director.
Malaysia's Home Ministry disclosed that 3,640 citizenship applications in Sabah remain unresolved as of May, with only 10 approved. Officials outlined fresh procedures targeting one-year processing timelines.
Malaysia's National Registration Department has approved 286 MyKAS temporary resident identity cards from the Indian community since 2022, representing a 96% approval rate. The department also processed late birth registrations and citizenship applications.
Malaysia's Home Affairs Ministry will examine recommendations from the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission regarding naturalised citizenship applications, focusing on procedural improvements and governance standards.
Malaysia's anti-corruption watchdog has urged the Home Ministry and National Registration Department to overhaul procedures for granting citizenship to seven naturalised footballers, citing procedural irregularities and security screening failures.
Malaysia's Home Ministry will continue assessing citizenship applications on a case-by-case basis, Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said, clarifying that a Malaysian mother's death does not automatically disqualify applicants.