KUCHING: Do you know Malaysian children of certain mixed parentage can choose to be registered under the race of one of their parents?

Previously Malaysian parents had to register their children with the National Registration Department (JPN) as per paternal race until 2008 when the scenario changed.

“Since 2008, the regulation has been amended to allow parents of different races to choose the race they prefer for their child instead of merely following the father’s.

“We are talking about non-Malays like Chinese and Indians and this new rule applies to all states in Malaysia except Sarawak and Sabah that come with their respective ordinance,” JPN Malaysia public relations officer Jainisah Mohd Noor said when contacted here yesterday. Jainisah said she was not certain about Sarawak Ordinance as far as registration of a child’s race is concerned.

She added that parents were not permitted to put ‘Chinese-Indian’ or ‘Indian-Chinese’ under the column for race.

“They can only pick one, either Indian or Chinese.

“But then there is this Bumiputera issue in Sarawak, and I cannot comment on this since there is an ordinance to go with it,” she quipped.

The Borneo Post also contacted JPN Sarawak here yesterday and an officer confirmed that parents were required to fill out a declaration form if they want to choose the preferred race for their child.

“Yes, they can pick the race for their newborn but they must make a joint declaration that they agree on it. JPN does not want to be accused of selecting the race for them.”

‘Parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race’

JPN Sibu office, on the other hand, told The Borneo Post that parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race.

“No way. They must follow the father’s race. For example, if the father is Indian and the mother Chinese, the child is an Indian.”

The Borneo Post Sabah office then called JPN Sabah and was informed that would-be parents are allowed to choose one of their races for their newborn.

Previously, newborns were registered according to the father’s race only. And the word ‘sino’ would be added if the father was Chinese.

Now, however, ‘sino’ is no longer listed as one of the races in Malaysia.

“For example in a mixed marriage between a Sino-Kadazan and Dusun, the parents can drop the word ‘sino’ and choose to register the child as a Kadazan or Dusun,” said an officer from the department.

“Parents who wish to change their children’s race can do so now, but they are only allowed to make the change once in a lifetime.”

The officer explained that if a child had already been registered under the father’s race, the mother is allowed to change its race to hers.

“But she must bring along supporting documents such as her original birth certificate and MyKad for the department to proceed with the application.

“Be reminded that this change can only be done once in a lifetime only,” stressed the officer.

As for a newborn, its parents will be issued a temporary birth certificate which will put the baby’s race as per the father’s, but they may change it to the mother’s race later, if they wish.

Recently Subang Jaya assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh, who married an Indian husband, attempted to register her daughter’s race as ‘Anak Malaysia’ but was told by JPN officers that the system does not allow it.

Reasoning that her daughter “is neither Chinese nor Indian”, Yeoh opted to leave the race column blank, but this was not allowed by the department.

According to Jainisah, no Malaysian parents are allowed to register their newborn as ‘Anak Malaysia’.

“You can put down either ‘Indian’ or ‘Chinese’ but not ‘Anak Malaysia’,” she said.

Left with no choice, Yeoh registered her daughter as Chinese but added: “I am going to write to the prime minister and the department’s director-general to appeal.”

“The system of registering citizens should be reflective of what the prime minister is preaching every day. I don’t want my child to look at her birth certificate one day and ask why we did not do what we preach,” she posted in a news portal. JPN Sibu office, on the other hand, told The Borneo Post that parents registering their child at birth must strictly follow the paternal race.

“No way. They must follow the father’s race. For example, if the father is Indian and the mother Chinese, the child is an Indian.”

The Borneo Post Sabah office then called JPN Sabah and was informed that would-be parents are allowed to choose one of their races for their newborn.

Previously, newborns were registered according to the father’s race only. And the word ‘sino’ would be added if the father was Chinese.

Now, however, ‘sino’ is no longer listed as one of the races in Malaysia.

“For example in a mixed marriage between a Sino-Kadazan and Dusun, the parents can drop the word ‘sino’ and choose to register the child as a Kadazan or Dusun,” said an officer from the department.

“Parents who wish to change their children’s race can do so now, but they are only allowed to make the change once in a lifetime.”

The officer explained that if a child had already been registered under the father’s race, the mother is allowed to change its race to hers.

“But she must bring along supporting documents such as her original birth certificate and MyKad for the department to proceed with the application.

“Be reminded that this change can only be done once in a lifetime only,” stressed the officer.

As for a newborn, its parents will be issued a temporary birth certificate which will put the baby’s race as per the father’s, but they may change it to the mother’s race later, if they wish.

Recently Subang Jaya assemblywoman Hannah Yeoh, who married an Indian husband, attempted to register her daughter’s race as ‘Anak Malaysia’ but was told by JPN officers that the system does not allow it.

Reasoning that her daughter “is neither Chinese nor Indian”, Yeoh opted to leave the race column blank, but this was not allowed by the department.

According to Jainisah, no Malaysian parents are allowed to register their newborn as ‘Anak Malaysia’.

“You can put down either ‘Indian’ or ‘Chinese’ but not ‘Anak Malaysia’,” she said.

Left with no choice, Yeoh registered her daughter as Chinese but added: “I am going to write to the prime minister and the department’s director-general to appeal.”

“The system of registering citizens should be reflective of what the prime minister is preaching every day. I don’t want my child to look at her birth certificate one day and ask why we did not do what we preach,” she posted in a news portal.

Credit to: The Borneo Post