MARCH 8 — Exactly one year ago, civil society groups rallied behind Malaysia’s Unity Government as it unveiled plans to amend the Federal Constitution, aiming to grant Malaysian mothers the right to confer citizenship upon their children born overseas — a privilege previously reserved solely for Malaysian fathers.

Since then, significant developments have unfolded, culminating in the introduction of a ‘comprehensive’ citizenship amendment package by the government. To the dismay of many, this package also included five regressive amendments to strip away the citizenship rights of marginalised Malaysian families, including foundlings, orphans, children born out of wedlock, and adopted children.

Despite relentless efforts and pleas urging the government to reconsider and halt the tabling of these regressive amendments, our appeals have fallen on deaf ears. Civil society organisations have been met with dismissive responses, and instructed to accept the package of amendments, which propose to trade the rights of overseas born children to Malaysian mothers with existing citizenship rights for our most vulnerable children that are currently guaranteed within the Federal Constitution.

Malaysian mothers have fought long and hard for the futures of their children. Coupling a progressive amendment that grants Malaysian mothers equal citizenship rights with five regressive amendments that threaten the safety and security of other vulnerable children is a betrayal of everything Malaysian mothers have been fighting for.

Today, on International Women’s Day, we collectively reject the government’s attempt at horse trading children’s rights. We stand resolute in our call for the government to decouple the amendments — proceed with the amendment that will grant Malaysian mothers the right to confer citizenship to their overseas-born children; and drop the five regressive amendments that threaten our nation’s vulnerable children. Gender equality cannot be achieved by granting rights with one hand while simultaneously stripping away citizenship rights of vulnerable children with the other.

Impacted mothers, activists, and civil society advocates stand united in firmly reminding the government to act with responsibility, compassion, clarity and sincerity, and to refrain from politicising the fundamental right to citizenship.

On this Women’s Day, we place our trust in our elected representatives to effectively articulate our concerns and take the necessary actions to safeguard women and children rights enshrined in the constitution.

*Submitted by Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA)

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.