KUALA LUMPUR – DAP’s Stulang state assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng has posponed a briefing and presentation on citizenship scheduled for June 30 in Johor Bahru after receiving widespread backlash and criticism over the event.
Although no explanation was provided for the postponement, Chen expressed hope that no one would speculate due to misunderstandings arising from the event’s poster.
On Facebook, Chen clarified that the briefing was intended to address issues faced by those without citizenship status or birth certificates due to parental negligence or other reasons.
“For instance, if a Malaysian father and an Indonesian mother have an unregistered and illegitimate marriage in Malaysia, their child might be born without a birth certificate and the parents may be untraceable.
“A child born without a birth certificate cannot attend school, struggles to find stable, adequately paid employment, and is ineligible to own a vehicle or a driver’s license, potentially leading to involvement in criminal and social issues,” he said in the Facebook post today.
However, he did not reveal an alternative date for the event.
According to the poster, the briefing was open to all ethnicities, particularly those from the B40 lower-income group.
The programme sparked controversy as netizens expressed anger towards the organisers, arguing that citizenship applications are government matters under the Home Ministry, not the jurisdiction of political parties.
They contended that the programme would only incite political, religious, and racial controversy.
Some even called for authorities to investigate the event. – June 8, 2024