Discriminative approach in granting citizenship
K NarayanasamyPublished: Dec 6, 2004 3:41 PM | Updated: Jan 29, 2008 6:21 PM
If we observe the type of foreigners which easily obtain Malaysian citizenship from our authorities, it is clear that the granting of citizenship is being used as a means to increase the number of bumiputeras in the country.
These Muslims who can be easily assimilated by the local Malay community seem to obtain citizenship more easily compared, to say, the Indian Muslims who are considered as people who prefer to keep their own identity. Many of them also identify themselves with the Indians in the country.
But if there is a possibility that the non-bumiputera population will increase through the granting of citizenship, then there is a great reluctance by the authorities to give the needed approval. Some non-bumiputeras do get such approval, but only after tremendous difficulties and the critical intervention of influential personalities.
In some countries, citizenship is granted to professionals who are able to contribute positively to the advancement of the nation, and to investors who have the confidence to plough in huge amounts of capital into the economy.
But we in Malaysia are very cautious about granting citizenship as the political calculations to make the bumiputera population dominant - at least to be two-thirds of the total population of the country - seem to outweigh anything else.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that we see a selective and discriminative approach in granting citizenship by our authorities. The political masters who have put the policy in place will keep mum as long as the end justifies the means.
These Muslims who can be easily assimilated by the local Malay community seem to obtain citizenship more easily compared, to say, the Indian Muslims who are considered as people who prefer to keep their own identity. Many of them also identify themselves with the Indians in the country.
But if there is a possibility that the non-bumiputera population will increase through the granting of citizenship, then there is a great reluctance by the authorities to give the needed approval. Some non-bumiputeras do get such approval, but only after tremendous difficulties and the critical intervention of influential personalities.
In some countries, citizenship is granted to professionals who are able to contribute positively to the advancement of the nation, and to investors who have the confidence to plough in huge amounts of capital into the economy.
But we in Malaysia are very cautious about granting citizenship as the political calculations to make the bumiputera population dominant - at least to be two-thirds of the total population of the country - seem to outweigh anything else.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that we see a selective and discriminative approach in granting citizenship by our authorities. The political masters who have put the policy in place will keep mum as long as the end justifies the means.
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