For most of us, our citizenship is only something we think about when there are forms to fill in. However, to others such as those born abroad to Malaysian mothers and non-Malaysian fathers, getting their Malaysian citizenship can become a lifelong battle for their rightful legal identity.
Today, we witness a victorious decision in favour of Wong Kueng Hui, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance’s (MUDA) first stateless member to be granted citizenship in the Federal Court.
According to Berita Harian, Wong previously received affirmation from both the High Court and the Court of Appeal that he is rightfully Malaysian in 2019 and January this year.
However, the government filed for leave to appeal at the Federal Court, delaying Malaysia’s recognition of Wong as a citizen.
Finally a Malaysian citizen
Represented by lawyer Haijan Omar and his team, Wong today finally won against the government when Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Tan Sri Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, who headed the Federal Court panel, delivered the decision this morning to refuse leave for the government’s appeal.
After a 15-year-long battle with the Malaysian government, 27-years-old Wong Kueng Hui today is finally a Malaysian citizen.
He was born on January 2, 1995 at Hospital Keningau, Sabah to a Sarawakian father and an alleged Indonesia mother. Unfortunately, his father died when he was 10 and his mother followed suit when he was 17.
“We are of the unanimous view that the leave application does not fulfil the threshold requirement under Section 96 of Courts of Judicature Act, and even if leave were to be granted, it will also have little chance of success on the merits. As such, we dismiss the leave application, with no order as to costs,” said Abang Iskandar in an online Zoom hearing after taking into consideration arguments from Wong’s and the government’s lawyers.
Our sincerest congratulations to you, Wong! Here’s to ending statelessness.
Also read: Court Of Appeal Breaks The Hearts Of M’sian Mums By Ruling In Favour Of Gov’t’s Appeal
