NEVER question non-Malays' citizenship: Dr M

Published: Wednesday February 3, 2010 MYT 12:51:00 PM

Don’t question non-Malays’ citizenship: Dr M

By IZATUN SHARI

PETALING JAYA: The citizenship of non-Malays in the country should never be questioned, said former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

He said there was a provision in the Federal Constitution stating that while Malays were the indigenous people, non-Malays had their right to citizenship.

“That should not be questioned. We cannot banish our citizens now. The Constitution provides that you cannot take away citizenships,” he told reporters after opening the Malaysian Liver Foundation building at Ara Damansara here on Wednesday.

Dr Mahathir was asked to comment on the allegedly racist remarks made by special officer to the Prime Minister, Datuk Nasir Safar, during a 1Malaysia seminar in Malacca.

Nasir allegedly made some remarks about Indian and Chinese Malaysians being “immigrants” when referring to these communities and their feedback on certain government education policies, and he also allegedly threatened to revoke their citizenship.

“This is a very bad statement to make. Even if it’s true, we don’t say things like that. These people have been here all these years. They are in fact the descendants of the people who came here. They have not just arrived,” Dr Mahathir said.

He said that Malaysian citizens would remain citizens until they declare otherwise when they take up the citizenship of another country.

“In some countries, you can banish your own citizens, throw them into an island or somewhere; but here, we cannot do that. Once they are citizens, they will always be citizens until they themselves declare that they are not,” he added.

A statement from the Prime Minister’s office on Tuesday said that Nasir would tender his resignation over the incident and that his remarks did not reflect the views of the Prime Minister in any way.

It also said that Nasir apologised for any offence caused.