Stories

Nabena is a 70-year-old widowed Malaysian mother. After her marriage, she had to move to Sri Lanka because Malaysia did not allow her foreign spouse to live in Malaysia. She gave birth to her daughter, Gayani, in Sri Lanka, not knowing that she could not automatically pass on her citizenship to her daughter. Nabena remained loyal to her country and never obtained any other citizenship—she has lived in Sri Lanka since 1984 with only a resident spouse visa. Her family also often returns to Penang and Kuala Lumpur to visit family and friends. When Malaysia introduced the spouse program, she and her husband moved to Malaysia and worked in Penang and Kajang respectively, but faced problems when applying for Gayani’s citizenship. Tragically, Nabena’s husband passed away and she wishes to return to her home country, Malaysia. However, she cannot return and was forced to remain in Sri Lanka as her daughter Gayani is her carer and she can only enter Malaysia on a tourist visa. Despite being a citizen of a peaceful country (Malaysia), Nabena has to live in a country that faces civil unrest due to an economic crisis as her daughter is unable to move to Malaysia without a long-term legal status.

Emilia, born in 1983 to a Malaysian mother and British father, is a writer facing unique challenges. Unlike many cases, she is an adult unable to apply for Malaysian citizenship due to the lack of a suitable citizenship category for people like her. Her mother, who returned to Malaysia in 2011 and is now a pensioner living alone, relies on Emilia for support. However, Emilia can only visit on a tourist visa, leaving both separated. It is crucial for the government to recognize the importance of allowing adult children of Malaysian mothers to support them, benefiting both the families and the state. Becoming Malaysian matters to Emilia both on a practical level, so she can be in Malaysia to support her mother, and on an emotional level, as her mother is her entire family. Her mother’s culture is her culture, but currently, she is shut out and isn’t recognised as a Malaysian. It feels as though half of her identity is being erased.

Zintra is a Malaysian mother living overseas with her British husband and their two children (aged 14 and 10), faced a huge challenge in obtaining Malaysian citizenship for her children. Despite having applied under Article 15(2) [Form B], the two applications made for both children have been rejected without any explanation, leaving them in a state of uncertainty due to unclear instructions and an outdated process. Her experience with JPN has been inconsistent, but a recent visit provided more clarity on the documents required. Her children’s non-citizen status limits their access to education, medical services and sports. Both of her children swim competitively, however their non-Malaysian statuses have prevented them from joining many competitions such as SUKMA and Carnival Bakat.

In Jeddah, Christine Al-Jammal’s journey as a mother began with the joy of expecting her first child, Danny, reassured by the Malaysian embassy that he would easily obtain Malaysian citizenship. However, upon returning to Malaysia in June 2018, she faced the harsh reality of bureaucratic indifference. Despite her deep roots in Malaysia, Danny was treated as a foreigner, excluded from the normalcy of school life and even charged foreigner rates at local attractions. The final blow came in April 2024, when his citizenship application was rejected without explanation, leading Christine to consider relocating to Australia. Reflecting on this painful journey, she is filled with deep sadness and fierce hope, determined to fight for her son’s rightful place in her homeland. At a crossroads, haunted by unfulfilled promises and her son’s confusion, Christine yearns for a world where every child belongs, regardless of where their journey begins.