KUALA LUMPUR, October 18 — The Dewan Rakyat today passed the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024 with 206 MPs voting in favor, surpassing the required two-thirds majority. The Bill introduces significant reforms to Malaysia’s citizenship laws, including granting citizenship to overseas-born children of Malaysian women and lowering the age limit for citizenship applications by registration from 21 to 18.
Despite the overwhelming support, the Bill has faced criticism, particularly from groups in Sabah and Sarawak. Concerns were raised that removing automatic citizenship for children born to Malaysian permanent residents could worsen the statelessness crisis in Sabah. Sabah Deputy Chief Minister Jeffrey Kitingan suggested forming a dedicated commission to address the state’s specific concerns regarding the amendments.
