Sarawak records 224 non-citizen births this year

Between January and August this year, 224 children born in Sarawak were registered as non-citizens, according to Sarawak Minister of Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development, Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah.

During a Sarawak Legislative Assembly session, Fatimah identified three primary reasons for these registrations: marriages that are not legally recognized under Malaysian law, mothers lacking valid identification documents, and cases of abandoned or found children. She clarified that while all births in Sarawak must be registered under the Sarawak Births and Deaths Registration Ordinance, birth within the country does not automatically grant Malaysian citizenship. Citizenship is determined by the parents' status and the legal validity of their marriage at the time of birth. For instance, if a Malaysian father and a non-citizen mother are not legally married, the child may inherit the mother's non-citizen status.

Regarding education, Fatimah emphasized that citizenship status and school access are distinct issues. Children who have not yet acquired Malaysian citizenship may still qualify for government or government-aided schools, provided they meet the specific requirements and procedures set by the Ministry of Education. For school admission, the details of the Malaysian citizen parent must be documented on the child's birth certificate.