文告（24-09-09）
（吉隆坡24日讯）马华妇女全国主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬对内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁属下部门日前成功颁发92张公民权证件和大马卡于公民权申请者，并造就了92名“新 ”马来西亚公民表示欣慰。
自拿督斯里希山慕丁今年接管内政部后， 他已设下本身部门的关键表现指标（KPI），以便可以更有效的处理累计下来的申请公民权事项。截至09年1月份为止，该部门一共接获3万2927宗申请公民权案子，其中以申请入境许可证及逾期申请报生纸案例分别占据1万6812宗和9万3360宗案件。内政部此次能简化申请程序上的繁文缛节，顺利地减低持红身份证人士，显示了政府和拿督斯里希山慕丁解决这项问题的诚意。
对于内长有关内政部现已处理了70%的申请，并有望在年杪处理所有的申请，达到关键表现指标所设下目标的宣布，马华妇女组希望内政部能够在秉着公平公正对待每个族群的精神，加速处理申请个案，希望内政部将在近期内再度以行动证明，颁发更多的公民权证件和大马卡予许多长久以来对国家忠诚并作出了贡献的申请者，让更多久等的“公民”能够“名正言顺”的成为我国公民！
与此同时，马华妇女组呼吁内政部关注仍旧有许多出生纸申请者依然等待当局批准的课题，特别是针对一些特殊个案，包括土著，于种植园丘出生但没有出生纸的无国籍儿童；或因父母其中一位是外国人，或父母未婚生子而导致没有出生证明，到了适读年龄但是没有获得同等的教育优惠如免费课本和保健的儿童。
儿童的权益
马华妇女组对妇女，家庭与社会发展部在部长拿督斯里莎丽查的带领下，最近成功获得内阁批准发布了国家保护儿童政策（National Child Protection Policy）和国家儿童政策（National Child Policy）表达欣慰，这两项政策强调儿童必须受到保护，及拒绝任何针对儿童所进行的虐待，暴力，遗弃，剥削行为。同时所有儿童享有在健全环境下生存，受保护，培育，参与发展权利。马华妇女组认为该两项政策的发布适时宜并再次重申在联邦宪法赋予申请者权益下，只要父母其中一人是马来西亚公民，并根据他/她身为马来西亚公民的权力，子女都有权申请成为马来西亚公民。
儿童拥有本身身为公民及在建全及没有歧视的环境下建康成长的基本权利， 这也完全符合及遵守了马来西亚在签署联合国保护儿童公约时的意愿。马华妇女组衷心的希望内政部在处理所有符合申请条件但没有合法婚姻证明的申请者案例时，能够针对他们孩子在面对无国籍的困境下给予额外的协助，并希望能在今年年杪之前，尽快处理及解决他们申请报生纸，大马卡及公民权的程序问题，这也符合了内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁部门所设下的关键表现指标（KPI）。
Showing posts with label Citizenship. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Citizenship. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
Home Ministry’s granting 92 citizenship lauded- Wanita MCA calls for birth registration of “stateless” children
17 September 2009
Press statement issued by Wanita MCA National Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun welcoming the Home Ministry’s move to award citizenship to 92 applicants
Wanita MCA is delighted to note that Malaysia Day 2009 was made extra special for 92 “new” Malaysians when the Home Ministry under the leadership of its Minister, Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein bestowed them each with Malaysian citizenship.
Wanita MCA recognizes that since helming the Home Ministry this year, Hishamuddin has set a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of clearing up all the backlog applications of which, since 1 January 2009, citizenship accounted for 32,927 cases, entry permit (16,812 cases) and late registration of birth certificates (93,360). Hishamuddin must be praised that within a short time through reducing red tape, the Home Ministry has cleared some 70% of the entire applications, and it looks set to meeting the Ministry’s KPI target of processing all applications by year end.
Certainly in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of 1Malaysia which promulgates “People First, Performance Now,” the speedy yet efficient processing of the backlog applications shows the public delivery system has very much been enhanced. As a highly respected statesman, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak has also extolled that we need to build a nation in which everyone has a chance to optimise their potential.
Rights of a Child
Meanwhile, the statistics as cited above reveals there is still a vast pool of applicants in need of Malaysian citizenship, permanent residency and birth certificates. Wanita MCA hopes that the Home Ministry will similarly expedite the applications regardless of race, particularly for deserving cases like stateless children from the indigenous community or those born in the estate whose births are unrecorded; or for school-going children who are denied equal education benefits like free textbooks and health care all just because one parent is a foreigner and that the child was born prior to the parent’s marriage registration.
In conjunction with announcement by the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil on the National Child Protection Policy (NCPP) Wanita MCA holds that any child born must be protected against abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation and should be nurtured to become model citizens. With regards with the simultaneous release of the National Child Policy (NCP) by the same Ministry which outlines on the survival rights, protection, development and child participation so that children can enjoy holistic growth in a conducive environment, Wanita MCA reiterates it position that any child born of at least one Malaysian parent, irrespective of the parent’s gender , the child should be accorded with all his/her rights as Malaysian citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Wanita MCA praises the NCPP and NCP policies released by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development under the guidance of Dato’ Seri Shahrizat as they are timely efforts to safeguard the rights of children.
Enabling one’s basic human rights as accorded through citizenship for a child to enjoy holistic development and non-discrimination is also in line with Malaysia’s obligations to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNICEF) of which Malaysia is signatory to. Without compromising the legal marriage, Wanita MCA hopes that the Home Ministry will take into consideration the plight of “stateless” children and process the application of their birth certificate, MyKad and citizenship speedily before the end of the year as this would fulfill Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin’s KPI for his Ministry, so long as the criteria have been fulfilled.
Datin Paduka Chew Mei FunWanita MCA Chairman
The Star News Friday September 18, 2009
Many still awaiting citizenship
PETALING JAYA: There are still many people yet to receive Malaysian citizenship, permanent residency or birth certificates even though the Home Ministry has cleared 70% of the backlog of citizenship applications, said Wanita MCA.
Since Jan 1 this year, late registration of birth certificates accounted for 93,360 cases of backlogged applications. Applications for citizenship accounted for 32,927 cases, followed by entry permits with 16,812 cases.
In a statement yesterday, Wanita MCA chairperson Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun hoped that the Home Ministry would process applications involving stateless children before the end of the year, particularly cases of indigenous children or “estate children” whose births were unrecorded.
She also hoped applications for schoolchildren with one foreign parent and born prior to the parents’ marriage registration would be approved, as the children were denied education benefits like free textbooks because of this.
Chew was confident that the Ministry’s KPI target of processing all applications by the end of the year could be achieved after their applications were processed.
“Wanita MCA reiterates its position that any child born of at least one Malaysian parent, irrespective of the parent’s gender, should be accorded all his or her rights as Malaysian citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Enabling one’s basic human rights as accorded through citizenship for a child to enjoy holistic development and non-discrimination is also in line with Malaysia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Malaysia is a signatory,” Chew added.
Meanwhile, Gerakan central unity bureau head Dr Asharuddin Ahmad said the Government’s decision to approve the maiden batch of applications for citizenship has “righted a wrong”.
“The 92 applicants waited many years to be accepted as Malaysians. The decision is in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.
“The PM has walked the talk that Malaysia is for all Malaysians,” Asharuddin said yesterday.
He also commended Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for personally looking into the backlog of citizenship applications.
Asharuddin also hoped Hishammuddin and ministry officers would carefully vet the rest of the applications, notably the scores of foreign nationals whose spouses were Malaysian. He said many foreigners who were professionals and spouses of Malaysians were forced to work elsewhere because they could not get citizenship or permanent residency status.
He also urged the applications of those who were no threat to national security and were loyal to the country to be approved.
Press statement issued by Wanita MCA National Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun welcoming the Home Ministry’s move to award citizenship to 92 applicants
Wanita MCA is delighted to note that Malaysia Day 2009 was made extra special for 92 “new” Malaysians when the Home Ministry under the leadership of its Minister, Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein bestowed them each with Malaysian citizenship.
Wanita MCA recognizes that since helming the Home Ministry this year, Hishamuddin has set a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of clearing up all the backlog applications of which, since 1 January 2009, citizenship accounted for 32,927 cases, entry permit (16,812 cases) and late registration of birth certificates (93,360). Hishamuddin must be praised that within a short time through reducing red tape, the Home Ministry has cleared some 70% of the entire applications, and it looks set to meeting the Ministry’s KPI target of processing all applications by year end.
Certainly in line with the Prime Minister’s vision of 1Malaysia which promulgates “People First, Performance Now,” the speedy yet efficient processing of the backlog applications shows the public delivery system has very much been enhanced. As a highly respected statesman, Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak has also extolled that we need to build a nation in which everyone has a chance to optimise their potential.
Rights of a Child
Meanwhile, the statistics as cited above reveals there is still a vast pool of applicants in need of Malaysian citizenship, permanent residency and birth certificates. Wanita MCA hopes that the Home Ministry will similarly expedite the applications regardless of race, particularly for deserving cases like stateless children from the indigenous community or those born in the estate whose births are unrecorded; or for school-going children who are denied equal education benefits like free textbooks and health care all just because one parent is a foreigner and that the child was born prior to the parent’s marriage registration.
In conjunction with announcement by the Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato’ Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil on the National Child Protection Policy (NCPP) Wanita MCA holds that any child born must be protected against abuse, violence, neglect and exploitation and should be nurtured to become model citizens. With regards with the simultaneous release of the National Child Policy (NCP) by the same Ministry which outlines on the survival rights, protection, development and child participation so that children can enjoy holistic growth in a conducive environment, Wanita MCA reiterates it position that any child born of at least one Malaysian parent, irrespective of the parent’s gender , the child should be accorded with all his/her rights as Malaysian citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution. Wanita MCA praises the NCPP and NCP policies released by the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development under the guidance of Dato’ Seri Shahrizat as they are timely efforts to safeguard the rights of children.
Enabling one’s basic human rights as accorded through citizenship for a child to enjoy holistic development and non-discrimination is also in line with Malaysia’s obligations to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNICEF) of which Malaysia is signatory to. Without compromising the legal marriage, Wanita MCA hopes that the Home Ministry will take into consideration the plight of “stateless” children and process the application of their birth certificate, MyKad and citizenship speedily before the end of the year as this would fulfill Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin’s KPI for his Ministry, so long as the criteria have been fulfilled.
Datin Paduka Chew Mei FunWanita MCA Chairman
The Star News Friday September 18, 2009
Many still awaiting citizenship
PETALING JAYA: There are still many people yet to receive Malaysian citizenship, permanent residency or birth certificates even though the Home Ministry has cleared 70% of the backlog of citizenship applications, said Wanita MCA.
Since Jan 1 this year, late registration of birth certificates accounted for 93,360 cases of backlogged applications. Applications for citizenship accounted for 32,927 cases, followed by entry permits with 16,812 cases.
In a statement yesterday, Wanita MCA chairperson Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun hoped that the Home Ministry would process applications involving stateless children before the end of the year, particularly cases of indigenous children or “estate children” whose births were unrecorded.
She also hoped applications for schoolchildren with one foreign parent and born prior to the parents’ marriage registration would be approved, as the children were denied education benefits like free textbooks because of this.
Chew was confident that the Ministry’s KPI target of processing all applications by the end of the year could be achieved after their applications were processed.
“Wanita MCA reiterates its position that any child born of at least one Malaysian parent, irrespective of the parent’s gender, should be accorded all his or her rights as Malaysian citizens as enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“Enabling one’s basic human rights as accorded through citizenship for a child to enjoy holistic development and non-discrimination is also in line with Malaysia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Malaysia is a signatory,” Chew added.
Meanwhile, Gerakan central unity bureau head Dr Asharuddin Ahmad said the Government’s decision to approve the maiden batch of applications for citizenship has “righted a wrong”.
“The 92 applicants waited many years to be accepted as Malaysians. The decision is in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.
“The PM has walked the talk that Malaysia is for all Malaysians,” Asharuddin said yesterday.
He also commended Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein for personally looking into the backlog of citizenship applications.
Asharuddin also hoped Hishammuddin and ministry officers would carefully vet the rest of the applications, notably the scores of foreign nationals whose spouses were Malaysian. He said many foreigners who were professionals and spouses of Malaysians were forced to work elsewhere because they could not get citizenship or permanent residency status.
He also urged the applications of those who were no threat to national security and were loyal to the country to be approved.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wanita MCA reiterates that Teoh Beng Hock’s child should carry his surname
11 August 2009
Press statement by Wanita MCA Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun affirming that Teoh Beng Hock’s child should carry his surname, given the circumstances that he has passed away
It is unfortunate that despite the very puzzling manner in which the late Sdr Teoh Beng Hock died, there have been certain quarters who criticized Wanita MCA’s appeal that his unborn be registered in Sdr Teoh’s surname upon the child’s birth. These criticisms were published in a certain mainstream press which showed ill-will and complete insensitivity against the grieving family.
According to the Section 13 of the Registration of Birth and Death Act 1957 (Act 299), an illegitimate child can be registered in the father’s name at the joint request of the mother and the person acknowledging himself to be the father of the child, and the father shall in the case, sign the register with the mother.
However, in this circumstance, it is so obvious that Sdr Teoh is no longer here with us, thus disabling his physical presence at the counter to register his name as the father in the child’s birth certificate. The public is fully aware that Sdr Teoh was in the midst of organizing his wedding before the tragedy befell him. He was scheduled to register his marriage to his fiancé Sdri Soh Cher Wei on 17 July 09, a day after he was found sprawled on the floor. In keeping with Chinese tradition, the red curtains signifying a wedding were already draped at the entrance of his home, but had to be removed when the tragedy struck. Hence, on humanitarian grounds, the rights of the unborn child to identity must be upheld.
Wanita MCA does not encourage consummation when couples have not yet registered their betrothal. However, the rights of an innocent child must never be deprived, but protected instead.
In the near future, Wanita MCA will submit three (3) memorandums to the Home Minister as part of our citizenship registration projects which hopes to remedy citizenship rights of Malaysians in the following areas:
1) Children born to at least one parent
2) Foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens
3) Stateless Malaysians whose births
Wanita MCA will also propose to the Home Ministry to amend the law in order to address special cases which comply with certain conditions.
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
Wanita MCA National Chairman
Press statement by Wanita MCA Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun affirming that Teoh Beng Hock’s child should carry his surname, given the circumstances that he has passed away
It is unfortunate that despite the very puzzling manner in which the late Sdr Teoh Beng Hock died, there have been certain quarters who criticized Wanita MCA’s appeal that his unborn be registered in Sdr Teoh’s surname upon the child’s birth. These criticisms were published in a certain mainstream press which showed ill-will and complete insensitivity against the grieving family.
According to the Section 13 of the Registration of Birth and Death Act 1957 (Act 299), an illegitimate child can be registered in the father’s name at the joint request of the mother and the person acknowledging himself to be the father of the child, and the father shall in the case, sign the register with the mother.
However, in this circumstance, it is so obvious that Sdr Teoh is no longer here with us, thus disabling his physical presence at the counter to register his name as the father in the child’s birth certificate. The public is fully aware that Sdr Teoh was in the midst of organizing his wedding before the tragedy befell him. He was scheduled to register his marriage to his fiancé Sdri Soh Cher Wei on 17 July 09, a day after he was found sprawled on the floor. In keeping with Chinese tradition, the red curtains signifying a wedding were already draped at the entrance of his home, but had to be removed when the tragedy struck. Hence, on humanitarian grounds, the rights of the unborn child to identity must be upheld.
Wanita MCA does not encourage consummation when couples have not yet registered their betrothal. However, the rights of an innocent child must never be deprived, but protected instead.
In the near future, Wanita MCA will submit three (3) memorandums to the Home Minister as part of our citizenship registration projects which hopes to remedy citizenship rights of Malaysians in the following areas:
1) Children born to at least one parent
2) Foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens
3) Stateless Malaysians whose births
Wanita MCA will also propose to the Home Ministry to amend the law in order to address special cases which comply with certain conditions.
Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
Wanita MCA National Chairman
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
周美芬：政府应修改法令，解决遗腹子身份问题
文告（22/7/2009）
马华妇女组全国主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬呼吁政府从宽处理赵明福遗腹子报生纸上能否填上生父名字的问题，政府也应考虑修改相关法令，以便在申请者满足特定条件的情况下，一劳永逸解决相关案例的问题和争议。这和政府决心在近期内全面解决国内公民权问题的精神是一致的。
周美芬指出，马华妇女组与国内公民权工作小组已拟定三份备忘录，即《在本地出生或定居人士的公民权问题》、《马来西亚儿童的公民权问题》以及《外籍配偶的居留权和公民权问题》，以提呈予内政部长。马华妇女组将在有关备忘录中，加入研究修改法令的建议，并提出各种处理方式的细节，以解决遗腹子身份的问题。
“我们了解作为法治社会，凡事须依法行事，因此马华妇女组呼吁政府寻求各种管道，让出现这方面争议的孩子能够得到他们应得的身份，包括修改相关法令，以在申请者满足特定条件的情况下，合法化相关孩子的身份，并一劳永逸解决此类案件的争议，这是儿童的基本人权。”
周美芬表示，法律不外乎人情，法律既然是为人类群体生活服务，就应该以人道主义为本，不能过于僵化和迂腐。赵明福作为其遗腹子的生父是不能否认的事实，若其孩子的报生纸无法填上生父名字，这是不近人情的。
马华妇女组全国主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬呼吁政府从宽处理赵明福遗腹子报生纸上能否填上生父名字的问题，政府也应考虑修改相关法令，以便在申请者满足特定条件的情况下，一劳永逸解决相关案例的问题和争议。这和政府决心在近期内全面解决国内公民权问题的精神是一致的。
周美芬指出，马华妇女组与国内公民权工作小组已拟定三份备忘录，即《在本地出生或定居人士的公民权问题》、《马来西亚儿童的公民权问题》以及《外籍配偶的居留权和公民权问题》，以提呈予内政部长。马华妇女组将在有关备忘录中，加入研究修改法令的建议，并提出各种处理方式的细节，以解决遗腹子身份的问题。
“我们了解作为法治社会，凡事须依法行事，因此马华妇女组呼吁政府寻求各种管道，让出现这方面争议的孩子能够得到他们应得的身份，包括修改相关法令，以在申请者满足特定条件的情况下，合法化相关孩子的身份，并一劳永逸解决此类案件的争议，这是儿童的基本人权。”
周美芬表示，法律不外乎人情，法律既然是为人类群体生活服务，就应该以人道主义为本，不能过于僵化和迂腐。赵明福作为其遗腹子的生父是不能否认的事实，若其孩子的报生纸无法填上生父名字，这是不近人情的。
Wanita MCA calls on NRD to register Teoh Boon Hock’s child in father’s name & amend outdated birth registration laws
Press statement by Wanita MCA National Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun
Sharing in the grief of the fiancé and family over the tragic loss of the late Sdr Teoh Beng Hock, Wanita MCA calls on the government to register Sdr Teoh as the father of the child upon birth and to amend whilst complying with conditions the existing law necessitating the physical presence of the biological father at birth registration whereby when the child is born, the baby’s birth certificate will only carry the mother’s details.
This is in line with the efforts by the government and announcement by the Home Minister Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein Onn to decide on the application for Malaysian citizenship for four categories i.e. applicants for permanent resident status; stateless children; those without birth certificates; and those without documents who are residing in Sabah and Sarawak.
The NRD should register the birth of Teoh’s child identifying Teoh as the father. Moreover, the couple had made known to all relatives and friends that they were scheduled to register their marriage on 17 July 2009.
In conjunction with the upcoming submission of three (3) memorandums by Wanita MCA to the Home Minister in our citizenship registration project that seeks to address citizenship rights of Malaysians in the following areas:
1) children born to at least one Malaysian parent,
2) foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens,
3) stateless Malaysians whose births were either not registered, or who were not given citizenship despite having been born and bred in Malaya/Malaysia all their lives and having applied for citizenship,
Wanita MCA and the MCA Citizenship Task Force will study existing laws related to citizenship and registration of births. Recommendations to insert or amend or remove any existing clauses that hinder the identity and/or citizenship rights of rightful Malaysians will be tabled in the memo.
Given such circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased and on humanitarian grounds, Wanita MCA urges the Home Minister to allow the child to be registered in the father’s name when he/she is born. It is a gross injustice to the unborn child to be registered in his/her mother’s name as the innocent child will suffer the stigma throughout hi/her life of being identified as a mother’s love child rather than as a child of both parents. At all times, the rights of a child to citizenship and identity should respected and safeguarded.
Sharing in the grief of the fiancé and family over the tragic loss of the late Sdr Teoh Beng Hock, Wanita MCA calls on the government to register Sdr Teoh as the father of the child upon birth and to amend whilst complying with conditions the existing law necessitating the physical presence of the biological father at birth registration whereby when the child is born, the baby’s birth certificate will only carry the mother’s details.
This is in line with the efforts by the government and announcement by the Home Minister Dato’ Sri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein Onn to decide on the application for Malaysian citizenship for four categories i.e. applicants for permanent resident status; stateless children; those without birth certificates; and those without documents who are residing in Sabah and Sarawak.
The NRD should register the birth of Teoh’s child identifying Teoh as the father. Moreover, the couple had made known to all relatives and friends that they were scheduled to register their marriage on 17 July 2009.
In conjunction with the upcoming submission of three (3) memorandums by Wanita MCA to the Home Minister in our citizenship registration project that seeks to address citizenship rights of Malaysians in the following areas:
1) children born to at least one Malaysian parent,
2) foreign spouses of Malaysian citizens,
3) stateless Malaysians whose births were either not registered, or who were not given citizenship despite having been born and bred in Malaya/Malaysia all their lives and having applied for citizenship,
Wanita MCA and the MCA Citizenship Task Force will study existing laws related to citizenship and registration of births. Recommendations to insert or amend or remove any existing clauses that hinder the identity and/or citizenship rights of rightful Malaysians will be tabled in the memo.
Given such circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased and on humanitarian grounds, Wanita MCA urges the Home Minister to allow the child to be registered in the father’s name when he/she is born. It is a gross injustice to the unborn child to be registered in his/her mother’s name as the innocent child will suffer the stigma throughout hi/her life of being identified as a mother’s love child rather than as a child of both parents. At all times, the rights of a child to citizenship and identity should respected and safeguarded.
Monday, July 13, 2009
马华妇女组希望外籍配偶和孩子的居留权及公民权问题获得解决
文告:
马华妇女组全国主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬欢迎内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁宣布政府将全面解决国内公民权问题，并希望存在已久的外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权问题将获得一劳永逸的解决，以体现大马政府实践平等及杜绝歧视的人道主义精神。
“马华妇女组一直以来都在关注外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权课题.并以作出相关努力。上个月5日（5/6/09），妇女组针对有关课题，曾与包括律师公会 (BAR COUNCIL)妇女援助机构（WAO），全国妇女理事会（NCWO）和隆雪华堂妇女组等数个非政府组织举办对话会，除了听取相关民间组织的意见，亦提出本身的看法。”
周美芬指出，许多外籍太太在申请延长签证时，必须仰赖丈夫充当她们的担保人，对于一些不幸的外籍太太而言，这造成她们必须忍受丈夫的无理对待。
“尤其是已经生儿育女的外籍太太，由于不愿意在离婚时因为没有居留权而被迫与儿女分离，她们往往必须默默忍受这种恶劣遭遇。因此我们希望内政部能全面解决外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权问题，尤其是保障已经生儿育女的外籍配偶，应该给予她们合法身份。”
周美芬也表示，在一些偏远乡区，由于父母的无知，没有为孩子办报生或来不及办或婚姻没有注册和配偶身份等问题，导致孩子无法申请身份证，内政部应该给他们一个合法身份，以保障他们的权益。
“此外，尚有许多独立前在本地出生或定居本地的50岁以上老年人，一直只持有红身份证而无法获得正式身份证。有关人士既已年迈，对国家也有贡献，而且也不会对社会带来任何伤害，应该向他们发出身份证。希望随着内政部长的宣布，他们的申请可见曙光。”
马华妇女组全国主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬欢迎内政部长拿督斯里希山慕丁宣布政府将全面解决国内公民权问题，并希望存在已久的外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权问题将获得一劳永逸的解决，以体现大马政府实践平等及杜绝歧视的人道主义精神。
“马华妇女组一直以来都在关注外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权课题.并以作出相关努力。上个月5日（5/6/09），妇女组针对有关课题，曾与包括律师公会 (BAR COUNCIL)妇女援助机构（WAO），全国妇女理事会（NCWO）和隆雪华堂妇女组等数个非政府组织举办对话会，除了听取相关民间组织的意见，亦提出本身的看法。”
周美芬指出，许多外籍太太在申请延长签证时，必须仰赖丈夫充当她们的担保人，对于一些不幸的外籍太太而言，这造成她们必须忍受丈夫的无理对待。
“尤其是已经生儿育女的外籍太太，由于不愿意在离婚时因为没有居留权而被迫与儿女分离，她们往往必须默默忍受这种恶劣遭遇。因此我们希望内政部能全面解决外籍配偶和孩子的居留权和公民权问题，尤其是保障已经生儿育女的外籍配偶，应该给予她们合法身份。”
周美芬也表示，在一些偏远乡区，由于父母的无知，没有为孩子办报生或来不及办或婚姻没有注册和配偶身份等问题，导致孩子无法申请身份证，内政部应该给他们一个合法身份，以保障他们的权益。
“此外，尚有许多独立前在本地出生或定居本地的50岁以上老年人，一直只持有红身份证而无法获得正式身份证。有关人士既已年迈，对国家也有贡献，而且也不会对社会带来任何伤害，应该向他们发出身份证。希望随着内政部长的宣布，他们的申请可见曙光。”
Wanita MCA: Home Ministry should expedite citizenship application
Press statement issued by Wanita MCA National Chairman Datin Paduka Chew Mei Fun welcoming the announcement by Home Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein Onn of a decision on the fate of applicants for Malaysian citizenship
Wanita MCA welcomes the announcement by the Home Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein Onn to decide on the application for Malaysian citizenship for four categories i.e. applicants for permanent resident status; stateless children; those without birth certificates; and those without documents who are residing in Sabah and Sarawak. Wanita MCA urges the Home Minister to expedite the Ministry’s decision on granting Malaysian citizenship on humanitarian grounds.
Citizenship for “stateless” Malaysians
Wanita MCA is deeply concerned that many residents born in Malaya before our country’s independence in 1957 have still not been issued with a blue MyKad. There are also cases of red MyKad holders who were born in 1965 during the separation of Singapore and Malaysia, and owing to technicalities, have not been granted Malaysian citizenship. These residents who call Malaysia home are loyal, law-abiding people who pay taxes and contribute to the nation’s development.
Equally worrisome are the scores of indigenous children living in rural areas in the Peninsular or in the deep interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, and children born in estate plantations whose births have not been recorded and no birth certificate issued. The women’s wing of MCA strongly urges the National Registration Department to expedite the documentation of births and issuance of Malaysian citizenship to these very deserving cases.
Right of stay of foreign spouses
A forum on foreign spouses in Malaysia on 5 Jun 09 organised by Wanita MCA raised awareness on long-standing challenges faced by foreign spouses, both foreign wives and husbands and also children of a foreign parent.
Foreign wives/husbands encounter challenges in terms of social visit pass, spousal visa, permanent residency and citizenship. The process to renew spousal visa and, application for residency and citizenship is often cumbersome as the visa needs to be renewed annually with the mandatory presence of the sponsor of a foreign spouse which is usually the Malaysian female or male citizen.
The mandatory presence of the sponsor is particularly problematic with cases involving domestic violence as women are placed at the mercy of their husbands where they may have to continue enduring violence in their home for fear of being deported. Compounding this would be if they have children who are born in Malaysia and the foreign wife would fear having to be deported without her children. Or in situations where their husband disappears or in the case of divorces, and they face real risk of deportation without a sponsor. Thus, foreign wives may be stranded here in Malaysia for she may not be able to bring home her children due to financial constraints and her children need to stay in Malaysia since they are Malaysia citizens.
Wanita MCA also urges the Home Ministry to look into the predicament faced by foreign husbands. Current consideration of a foreign husband’s citizenship application is based on a case-to-case basis at the discretion of the Minister. However, this right to citizenship is not stipulated for any foreign husband of a Malaysian. On the grounds of gender equality, a foreign husband’s application for citizenship should be considered on an identical basis as that of a foreign wife.
Citizenship for children
Children who are born to Malaysian women and her foreign spouse are not entitled to citizenship. This is because Malaysian women are not accorded equal rights to confer citizenship to her children if they were to be born outside of Malaysia (UNHCR 2002; WCC statement Apr 2008 citing New Straits Times, 25 Apr 2008). Evidently there is double standard where a Malaysian father could confer citizenship to his child(ren) irrespective of the place of birth.
Similarly in the case where the marriage between a Malaysian citizen and his/ her spouse is not registered in Malaysia, their child(ren) when born would be recorded as “non citizen” in the birth certificate.
Wanita MCA is of the view that all children whose one parent is Malaysian is entitled to citizenship whether born in Malaysia or overseas. Children born prior to the registration of marriage should also have equal rights to citizenship.
By improving the quality of family life of Malaysian citizens, this is consistent with the “1 Malaysia” vision, which is inclusive of non-Malaysian spouses.
Wanita MCA welcomes the announcement by the Home Minister Dato’ Seri Hishamuddin bin Tun Hussein Onn to decide on the application for Malaysian citizenship for four categories i.e. applicants for permanent resident status; stateless children; those without birth certificates; and those without documents who are residing in Sabah and Sarawak. Wanita MCA urges the Home Minister to expedite the Ministry’s decision on granting Malaysian citizenship on humanitarian grounds.
Citizenship for “stateless” Malaysians
Wanita MCA is deeply concerned that many residents born in Malaya before our country’s independence in 1957 have still not been issued with a blue MyKad. There are also cases of red MyKad holders who were born in 1965 during the separation of Singapore and Malaysia, and owing to technicalities, have not been granted Malaysian citizenship. These residents who call Malaysia home are loyal, law-abiding people who pay taxes and contribute to the nation’s development.
Equally worrisome are the scores of indigenous children living in rural areas in the Peninsular or in the deep interiors of Sabah and Sarawak, and children born in estate plantations whose births have not been recorded and no birth certificate issued. The women’s wing of MCA strongly urges the National Registration Department to expedite the documentation of births and issuance of Malaysian citizenship to these very deserving cases.
Right of stay of foreign spouses
A forum on foreign spouses in Malaysia on 5 Jun 09 organised by Wanita MCA raised awareness on long-standing challenges faced by foreign spouses, both foreign wives and husbands and also children of a foreign parent.
Foreign wives/husbands encounter challenges in terms of social visit pass, spousal visa, permanent residency and citizenship. The process to renew spousal visa and, application for residency and citizenship is often cumbersome as the visa needs to be renewed annually with the mandatory presence of the sponsor of a foreign spouse which is usually the Malaysian female or male citizen.
The mandatory presence of the sponsor is particularly problematic with cases involving domestic violence as women are placed at the mercy of their husbands where they may have to continue enduring violence in their home for fear of being deported. Compounding this would be if they have children who are born in Malaysia and the foreign wife would fear having to be deported without her children. Or in situations where their husband disappears or in the case of divorces, and they face real risk of deportation without a sponsor. Thus, foreign wives may be stranded here in Malaysia for she may not be able to bring home her children due to financial constraints and her children need to stay in Malaysia since they are Malaysia citizens.
Wanita MCA also urges the Home Ministry to look into the predicament faced by foreign husbands. Current consideration of a foreign husband’s citizenship application is based on a case-to-case basis at the discretion of the Minister. However, this right to citizenship is not stipulated for any foreign husband of a Malaysian. On the grounds of gender equality, a foreign husband’s application for citizenship should be considered on an identical basis as that of a foreign wife.
Citizenship for children
Children who are born to Malaysian women and her foreign spouse are not entitled to citizenship. This is because Malaysian women are not accorded equal rights to confer citizenship to her children if they were to be born outside of Malaysia (UNHCR 2002; WCC statement Apr 2008 citing New Straits Times, 25 Apr 2008). Evidently there is double standard where a Malaysian father could confer citizenship to his child(ren) irrespective of the place of birth.
Similarly in the case where the marriage between a Malaysian citizen and his/ her spouse is not registered in Malaysia, their child(ren) when born would be recorded as “non citizen” in the birth certificate.
Wanita MCA is of the view that all children whose one parent is Malaysian is entitled to citizenship whether born in Malaysia or overseas. Children born prior to the registration of marriage should also have equal rights to citizenship.
By improving the quality of family life of Malaysian citizens, this is consistent with the “1 Malaysia” vision, which is inclusive of non-Malaysian spouses.
周美芬：應該給外籍配偶合法身份
星洲互動‧2009.07.10
（吉隆坡）馬華婦女組主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬指出，內政部應全面解決外籍配偶和孩子的居留權和公民權事項，尤其保障已經生兒育女的外籍配偶，給予她們合法身份。
她今日（週五，7月10日）發表文告，歡迎內政部長拿督斯里希山慕丁宣佈政府將全面解決公民權問題時表示，部份外籍太太由於不願意離婚後因為沒有居留權而必須與孩子分開，以致必須忍受不幸的婚姻。
“也有外籍太太為了申請延長簽證，被迫仰丈夫鼻息，因為她們證件的申請必須獲得丈夫擔保。”
（吉隆坡）馬華婦女組主席拿汀巴杜卡周美芬指出，內政部應全面解決外籍配偶和孩子的居留權和公民權事項，尤其保障已經生兒育女的外籍配偶，給予她們合法身份。
她今日（週五，7月10日）發表文告，歡迎內政部長拿督斯里希山慕丁宣佈政府將全面解決公民權問題時表示，部份外籍太太由於不願意離婚後因為沒有居留權而必須與孩子分開，以致必須忍受不幸的婚姻。
“也有外籍太太為了申請延長簽證，被迫仰丈夫鼻息，因為她們證件的申請必須獲得丈夫擔保。”
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