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I WAS BORN IN MALAYSIA BEFORE MERDEKA DAY BUT NOT REGISTERED AS A CITIZEN OF MALAYSIA. CAN I REGISTER TO BE A CITIZEN NOW AND HOW ?

Under the Article 16 of the Constitution, any person of or over the age of 18 who was born in Malaysia before Merdeka Day, 31 August 1957, is entitled, upon making application to the Federal Government, to be registered as a citizen if he or she satisfies the Federal Government :

• that he or she has resided in Malaysia during the 7 years immediately preceding the date of the application, for periods amounting in the aggregate to not less than 5 years (permanent resident for 7 years and has been in Malaysia for over 5 years)
• that he or she intends to do so permanently
• that he or she is of good character and
• that he or she has an "elementary" knowledge of the Malay language.

To register as a citizen of Malaysia, you have to submit your application in Form A which can be obtained from the counter of Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara or Registration Department of Malaysia.

Your application in Form A must be accompanied by the following documents :

• Identity card of applicant
• Birth certificate of applicant
• Birth certificate or certificate of citizenship of parents
• Entry permit of applicant
• Travel document owned by applicant in the last 5 years
• Identity card of parents and sibling (brothers or sisters)
• Children birth certificate
• 3 photographs of applicant
• RM$10.00 application fee

Your application will not be accepted unless it is presented at the National Registration Office by you, the applicant in person who shall be required to sign the application in the presence of a Registrar of Citizens.

Once your application is approved, you'll have to pay a fee of RM$100.00 for the issue of certificate of citizenship.

WHAT DOES "ELEMENTARY" KNOWLEDGE OF MALAY LANGUAGE MEAN ?

A person applying for citizenship should have an elementary knowledge of the Malaysia or native language.

The registrar of citizens shall whenever and for the area required, set up a Language Board for the purpose of determining whether or not a person applying for citizenship under the Citizenship Rules 1964 has an elementary knowledge of the Malay or native language as required by a person so applying.

A person is deemed to have an elementary knowledge of the Malay language if it is in the opinion of the Language Board he or she is able to say and understand what a person of his or her standing is likely to wish to say or understand in Malay in normal intercourse with a person of a different community.

However, there is an exception for an inability person due to physical impediment or of deafness or dumbness.