DON'T POLITICISE CITIZENSHIP BRIEFING PROGRAMMES - SAIFUDDIN NASUTION

KUALA LUMPUR, June 14 (Bernama) -- Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has urged all parties not to politicise any citizenship briefing programmes hosted by state assembly service centres.

Saifuddin Nasution said issues concerning citizenship are not new and have also occurred during his service as an assemblyman.

“I have been a representative for several terms, and many state assembly service centres, whether they are government or opposition, will receive requests from the people regarding citizenship applications, including those involving illegitimate children, adopted children, children born overseas or parents who married abroad.

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“Let’s not befuddled this (citizenship issues) to the extent of accusing that there is an organised movement to grant citizenship status en masse,” he told reporters after the field and posthumous rank conferment ceremony at the Kuala Lumpur Police Training Centre here today. 

He was asked to comment on the citizenship briefing programme organised by the Stulang State Assembly Service Centre scheduled to take place on June 30.

Saifuddin Nasution also urged all quarters to give space to elected representatives to carry out their duties, including resolving citizenship issues.

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“This morning, I received a message from a Member of Parliament in Kelantan who had received many complaints regarding citizenship. This is because his area is close to Siam (bordering Thailand), where many cases of (cross-border) marriages exist.

“So, when a Member of Parliament hosts a programme like this, it needs to be viewed positively,” he said.

Earlier, a poster titled ‘Taklimat dan Penerangan Kewarganegaraan’ went viral on social media, drawing reactions from netizens which led to the programme postponement by Stulang state assemblyman Andrew Chen Kah Eng which he posted on Facebook.

-- BERNAMA