PUTRAJAYA, July 19 – The Conference of Rulers has consented to the citizenship laws amendments, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail today.
He said the nine amendments to the Bill will not have any changes.
“This decision means that the next process at the Parliament level can start, which is at the next Budget session, which starts in October,” he said during a press conference at his ministry’s building here.
Saifuddin said he has received feedback regarding the amendments from Human Rights Commission of Malaysian (Suhakam) Chairman Datuk Seri Mohd Hishamudin Md Yunus during the meeting with the Conference of Rulers.
“The nine amendments are still the same. That’s what we presented to the Conference of Rulers and was given approval,” said Saifuddin.
The Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024, tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat on March 25, aims, among others, to lower the age limit to apply for citizenship by registration from the age of 21 to age 18.
In the Dewan Rakyat yesterday, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Law and Institutional Reform) M. Kulasegaran said the second reading of the bill has been postponed to October.
The Conference of Rulers’ consent is needed as the Bill involves changes to citizenship laws in the Federal Constitution.
