Statelessness shouldn’t exist here, Kedah princess says as Home Ministry approves citizenship of 10-year-old boy featured by her

KUALA LUMPUR, July 18 — Statelessness is a humanitarian issue that should not exist in Malaysian society, Kedah princess Tan Sri Tunku Puteri Intan Safinaz asserted today.

The Tunku Temenggong Kedah was accompanying 10-year-old Muhammad Danish Haiqal Abdul Rahman — who received his citizenship approval from the Home Ministry today, after both appeared together in a recent documentary.

“I think this shouldn’t exist in our current society,” said the daughter of Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah, who is also Malaysian Red Crescent Society chairman, to the media here.

“If we look at the children and the potential we are losing, it is a serious issue. This is a humanitarian issue.”

She said that as a statutory body, the Malaysian Red Crescent Society has a duty to highlight these matters, so the public can be more aware of the importance of citizenship and registration for the nation to end the cycle of statelessness.

“It’s coincidental that I’m here and that the minister approved the application. The timing is very good,” the princess told reporters.

Two days ago, the news that Haiqal’s application was approved was delivered by the Home Ministry to his adopted mother Hazlina Hamzah and the Development of Human Resources for Rural Areas Malaysia (DHRRA). But, the official letter was delivered today.

Hazlina divulged that his biological mother — also stateless — had entrusted her to take care of then three-month-old Haiqal.

Haiqal has eight other stateless siblings, all of which the minister said he would assist.

The boy’s biological mother has also only recently obtained a National Registration Department Identity card, Hazlina said.

Haiqal’s adoptive mother said that she began applying for citizenship at around 2018 and waited for about five to six years to obtain a decision in 2024.

“NGOs helped me a lot,” she told reporters, and added that DHRRA’s director of social protection Maalini Ramalo helped the most.

DHRRA estimates show that there are 16,000 stateless persons in peninsula Malaysia.

However, the home minister said that out of the 16,000 that are stateless, there are only 9,000 left.

“Citizenship issues are our priority. Today the number talks,” Saifuddin told the press. “I am ready to listen. I am ready to establish numbers.”

He said that he met with the Malaysian Citizenship Rights Alliance (MCRA) to further discuss these issues and that there are positive developments.

The home minister also met with the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus to discuss the citizenship issues and agreed the applications need Standard Operating Procedures.

In March, the Cabinet decided to call off two of eight constitutional amendments on Malaysian citizenship that would have affected foundlings and exacerbate statelessness in the country.

The two amendments that would have made citizenship applications subject to the ministry’s approval than of automatic conferment involved Section 19B of Part III and Section 1(e) of Part II of the Federal Constitution’s Second Schedule.

The home minister said it was discontinued based on feedback from federal lawmakers and others. However, there was also fierce opposition by rights groups.