KUALA LUMPUR: From 2017 to September this year, Chinese made up 65.26% of applicants granted citizenship for children born overseas to Malaysian mothers, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Hamzah Zainuddin.

According to the National Registration Department’s record, Malays made up 24.91%, Indians 4.5%, Iban 1.08%, Kadazan 0.47% and 3.79% others who were granted citizenship under Article 14(1) of the Federal Constitution, said Hamzah in a written reply to PKR’s Padang Serai member of parliament Karupaiya Mutusami.

He also said his ministry is reviewing amendments to the Federal Constitution for the matter.

“The government has set up a committee in the cabinet to look into the amendments of Federal Constitution on citizenship.

“The amendment bill is a decision made on policy which requires consent from the Conference of the Rulers under Article 159 (5),” he said in reply to questions raised by Penggerang MP Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said, Bukit Gelugur MP Ram Karpal Singh and Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman on the progress of the amendment to the Federal Constitution.

“Each application is reviewed according to the procedures and a decision is made based on the existing law and regulations. No time frame is set,” he said.