KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 — The federal government is currently evaluating a request from the Peranakan Chinese community to officially recognise them as a sub-ethnic group under the National Registration Department (NRD).

Deputy National Unity Minister K. Saraswathy said the proposal came from the Baba Nyonya Association of Malaysia, which aims to grant the community their own identity and has been submitted to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for consideration, The Star reported today.

"My ministry is waiting for a decision by the Cabinet on the matter.

"Peranakan Chinese and Melaka Chetti are only recognised with their own identities during cultural events,” Saraswathy was quoted as saying after opening the National Baba Nyonya Festival 2024 in Melaka.

She reportedly said her minister supports the community’s request, emphasising the significant role the Baba and Nyonya have played in promoting unity and harmonious living in Malaysia.

The Star also reported the Baba Nyonya association chairman Datuk Ronald Gan saying the request was made directly to the NRD in January 2023.

According to Gan, the Baba ethnicity was acknowledged on birth certificates during the 1940s but was later removed.

"It has been several decades; we are not recognised based on our ethnicity and are categorised as Chinese,” he was quoted as saying.

According to Gan, there are currently some 30,000 Baba and Nyonya in Malaysia.