Eight-year-old boy sues gov’t for denying him citizenship
Following the death of the father of an eight-year-old boy, who is suing the government for denying him citizenship, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today fixed Sept 22 to hear the application for a substitute litigant.
High Court judge Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad was infomed in chambers that the 63-year-old adoptive father of the boy, Yu Meng Qeung, died from leukemia on Aug 20.
Yu acted as litigant in the civil suit of the child, adopted in 2008, who could not represent himself in the lawsuit because of his age.
Following the death of the father of an eight-year-old boy, who is suing the government for denying him citizenship, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today fixed Sept 22 to hear the application for a substitute litigant.
High Court judge Nik Hasmat Nik Mohamad was infomed in chambers that the 63-year-old adoptive father of the boy, Yu Meng Qeung, died from leukemia on Aug 20.
Yu acted as litigant in the civil suit of the child, adopted in 2008, who could not represent himself in the lawsuit because of his age.
Yu, who was a lawyer, had named his partner in their law firm as a substitute litigant in his will, said lawyer Annou Xavier, who represented the boy.
Thus, there will be no issue of locus standi, Annou said.
The court instructed the party to submit a formal application, said Robin Lim, another lawyer who acted on behalf of the boy.
Sessions Court issued adoption order
The boy, born to a Malaysian father and an Indonesian mother, was lawfully adopted by Yu when he was four months old, with the adoption order issued by the Sessions Court in George Town, Penang, in September 2008.
In his application filed on June 11, 2014, the child sought an order from the High Court for him to be declared a Malaysian citizen.
He wanted the court to compel the Home Ministry and the National Registration Department (NRD), which turned down his citizenship application twice, in 2010 and in January 2013, to issue him MyKid, the MyKad issued to children under the age of 12.
It was reported that he was issued a birth certificate by the NRD, but only given a 'permanent resident' status.
The director-general of NRD, secretary-general of the Home Ministry and the government are named as defendants.
On March 17, 2015, the High Court had dismissed the lawsuit filed by the child and ordered the minor to pay RM1,000 in cost.
According to a report in the Malay Mail Online, the court allowed the government to strike out the boy's application for citizenship.
The boy then appealed to Court of Appeal, which overturned the High Court decision.
