Kuala Lumpur: The government will not grant Malaysian citizenship arbitrarily, stated Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah. He emphasized that citizenship is one of the highest honours the government can bestow and will only be granted to individuals who are truly eligible and meet the conditions set out in the Federal Constitution.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the granting of citizenship requires thorough investigation and careful consideration before the appropriate documentation can be issued to qualified individuals. This statement was given after Shamsul Anuar attended the UMNO Hari Raya Aidilfitri open house, where he addressed questions regarding Malaysian citizens who have missed the opportunity to register their personal documentation, complicating the verification of their citizenship status.
Meanwhile, Shamsul Anuar mentioned that the National Registration Department (NRD) is implementing the Mekar programme, a government initiative aimed at reaching out to communities in remote and rural areas by providing essential services such as birth registration and identity card issuance. He noted that the programme aims to ease the process of obtaining personal identification documents without residents needing to travel long distances to NRD offices.
He explained that NRD officers will be deployed to remote areas with the necessary equipment to assist the community by offering advisory services and resolving documentation-related issues. On another topic, Shamsul Anuar highlighted the effectiveness of the Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) in maintaining security along the East Coast of Sabah, with no kidnapping incidents reported since January 15, 2020.
However, he advised all parties to remain vigilant and to continue conducting joint operations with other security agencies, such as Op Sanggah and Op Gasak, to track down criminal elements, informants, and cross-border threats.