KUALA LUMPUR, April 12 — Perikatan Nasional's (PN) Maran MP Datuk Seri Ismail Abd Muttalib has questioned the government’s rationale for recognising citizens born after the country’s independence regardless of skin colour.

The question from the Islamist party PAS' lawmaker was submitted during the last Parliament session through a written question to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

"Is it true the government intends to grant recognition to citizens born after independence without taking into account skin colour?

"If true, what is the rationale?” Ismail’s brief question read.

In response to the question, Saifuddin said granting citizenship to individuals born before or after Malaysia’s independence is subject to the laws spelt out in the Third Schedule of the Federal Constitution, the Citizenship Rules 1964 and other relevant enforcement provisions.

He stressed that granting citizenship is the highest award and an exclusive right of the federal government which is not to be offered and given lightly.

"Every citizenship application received is processed and examined accordingly based on the conditions and laws that apply without distinction of ancestry or the skin colour of the applicant,” Saifuddin said.

In January, Saifuddin reportedly said the home ministry has set up a special committee to look into citizenship issues from all aspects in a comprehensive manner.

In a separate written question, Ismail also asked why a "state government” had demanded for mosques in the state use lower volumes for the "azan" call to prayers — to which religious affairs minister Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said no such thing exists.

Ismail was previously with Umno but he joined PAS in November 2022 after he was dropped from contesting the Maran seat of which he was the incumbent MP. He retained his seat in the 15th general election.