Divided over delayed Bill

PETALING JAYA: The postponement of the constitutional amendments on citizenship has drawn mixed reactions from MPs on both sides. While some MPs laud the government’s decision to hit pause on the Bill to provide for further deliberation, others from Perikatan Nasional feel that Putrajaya is acting unprofessional in the matter.

PKR’s Pasir Gudang MP Hassan Abdul Karim believes that the postponement will bring about positive outcomes, adding he hopes the government will take up his suggestion for the Bill to be forwarded to the Parliamentary Special Select Committee (PSSC).

“The government’s decision to maintain the right to citizenship by operation of law for foundling babies is a good decision.

“But the other amendments will bring a lot of harm and disadvantages to the indigenous community in the peninsula and those in Sabah and Sarawak. Also to the foreign wife of a Malaysian husband.

“I hope that my motion, which I presented (on Wednesday) under Standing Orders 54(1) and 54(2), read together with Rule 26(1)(j), to refer the Bill to the PSSC will be decided in the next meeting.

“It is only appropriate to first refer the Bill to the PSSC instead of rushing it,” he said when contacted yesterday.

It was announced on the last day of the Dewan Rakyat meeting on Wednesday that debate on the Bill to amend the Federal Constitution with regards to citizenship would only take place at the meeting in June.

Muda’s Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman said he would like to see more improvements to the proposed amendments to safeguard the rights of Malaysian citizens.

“Since it is being postponed, I recommend that the Home Ministry send it (the Bill) to the PSSC, which is a bipartisan committee, to sort out the crucial details. There must also be more engagement sessions with civil society.

“This is in the interest of all Malaysians. It also involves amendments to the Constitution, which means that everything must be thoroughly covered.

“I commend the Minister (Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution) for being open to criticisms and taking the time to listen to all stakeholders.

“The fact that it was postponed shows the minister’s and the government’s readiness to listen to criticisms. If it was tabled and put to vote yesterday, I would’ve rejected it,” he said.

Petaling Jaya MP Lee Chean Chung said the decision to hit pause was due to the government’s seriousness in taking account of all views and criticisms.

“Now, there will be more space to deliberate. More stakeholders can air their views.

“Surely, the government will take all input into consideration for the amendments,” said Lee who is from PKR.

Expressing his disappointment with the delay, Bersatu supreme council member Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah said it was unprofessional for the government to make such a decision at the last moment.

The Indera Mahkota MP said Perikatan lawmakers were looking forward to debating the Bill, adding that the government should have been more prepared.

“If the government is passionate about the issues in the proposed amendments, they could have the Bill properly tabled, debated and passed on Wednesday,” he said.

Saifuddin claimed that the government had “created” their own problems as the bill presented was not the same as that consented to by the Malay Rulers.

He said the government was under pressure by some groups and their own MPs to come up with something better but “the way they did it yesterday was not professional at all”.

On Wednesday, PAS secretary- general Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan had taken the government to task for postponing the Bill, describing Putrajaya as being “scared”.

“The government is not serious about the Constitutional amendments. Whatever reasons are given, they (government leaders) are not being serious,” the Kota Baru MP told reporters.