Anwar must not feign ignorance; he had promised to solve the problem of statelessness in the country.
Lawyers for Liberty (LFL) has slammed Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for playing down the importance of proposed constitutional amendments that would deny citizenship to orphans, foundlings, and the stateless.
Its director Zaid Malek said Anwar must not feign ignorance.
“Anwar’s claim that the amendments are not controversial despite the ongoing nationwide controversy over it is like the proverbial ostrich sticking its head in the ground.
“He appears to have no inkling as to the gravity and the impact of the proposed amendments on the stateless, and this is baffling and unacceptable coming from the prime minister,” Zaid said in a statement today.
The LFL director said Anwar had said nothing about the proposed removal of section 1(e) of 2nd Schedule Part 2 of the Constitution, which protects the stateless or the rights to citizenship of foundlings and orphans in the current section 19B.
“Was Anwar not briefed on the issue by his officers or is he sidestepping the issue?
“This inevitably will result in a huge increase of the problem of statelessness. These proposed amendments are unjustifiable and nothing short of heartless and cruel,” the lawyer said.
Yesterday, Anwar said the proposed amendments would be presented to the Conference of Malay Rulers soon, in a bid to solve the citizenship problems plaguing the overseas-born children of Malaysian women with foreign husbands.
“Any reasonable person can see why the amendments are bad for the country, and much public criticism has been made in the past weeks by numerous stakeholders, including Suhakam, a statutory body that advises the government on human rights.
“But the home minister has maintained a deafening silence and now the prime minister feigns ignorance by alluding only to the amendments on children born overseas to Malaysian mothers. If you were to listen to Anwar, it would seem that this is the only amendment being proposed,” Zaid added.
Zaid said Pakatan Harapan (PH) and in particular Anwar himself, had repeatedly promised to solve the problem of statelessness in the country since they were in opposition.
He said PH cannot and must not abandon that promise now that they hold federal power.
“To do so is to betray the mandate that they have been entrusted with by the people for change and reform.
“As prime minister, the buck stops with Anwar. He must immediately withdraw those parts of the Home Ministry’s amendments that will jeopardise the lives and future of orphans, foundlings, and other stateless persons.
“Anwar must not preside over the creation of a large new class of stateless persons in Malaysia, which is what his government’s proposed amendments will certainly do,” he said.
Zaid said if the government proceeds with these amendments, Anwar will not be able to call himself progressive and a reformer. – TMI