PUTRAJAYA: An appeal by a civil society and six Malaysian mothers over the citizenship of children born overseas has been settled without contest before the Federal Court.
The terms of the consent order, agreed to between the appellants and the government, were endorsed by a five-member bench chaired by Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat.
Also on the panel hearing the appeal were Justices Abang Iskandar Abang Hashim, Nallini Pathmanathan, Nordin Hassan, and Hanipah Farikullah.
Lawyer Gurdial Singh Nijar, appearing for the appellants, informed the bench that the parties had agreed to maintain the decision handed down by the High Court in Kuala Lumpur four years ago.
The lawyer said the children, all of whom were born before an amendment to the constitution last year and are still 18 years old or younger, would be entitled to apply for citizenship pursuant to Article 15(2) of the Federal Constitution.
The provision allows a person under the age of 21 to be registered as a citizen if at least one parent is a citizen of the federation.
“We have reached agreeable terms to settle this matter and the appeal is withdrawn,” said Gurdial.
Senior federal counsel Liew Horn Bin confirmed the matter.
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