Malaysia drops controversial citizenship plan after backlash

Malaysia abandoned its plan to do away with automatic citizenship for foundlings and abandoned children, following weeks of public criticism against t...

Malaysia abandoned its plan to do away with automatic citizenship for foundlings and abandoned children, following weeks of public criticism against the government.

The Malaysian cabinet rejected a proposal to amend the constitution that would result in such children having to apply for citizenship, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution said at a briefing Friday. The Home Ministry had initially planned to present a bill on the matter to parliament once it gained the cabinet’s approval.

The decision was made amid plans by civil society groups such as Undi18 to protest the proposal outside parliament on Monday.

"These amendments transcend partisan politics as it directly affects Malaysian stateless children and their future,” Undi18 said ahead of Saifuddin’s briefing. It would have been the second street protest against the government in a month.

The widespread backlash against the Home Ministry’s proposal points to the growing disillusionment toward Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s government. Anwar rose to power in 2022 promising institutional reforms, but his approval rating has dipped amid a moderating economy and attempts to appeal to conservative voters.