KOTA KINABALU, Nov 4 — Sabah National Registration Department director Ismail Ahmad assured Sabahans that the granting of birth certificates to stateless children is not the same as granting them citizenship.

He added that birth certificates for foreign nationals, including IMM13 holders and expatriates, were pink in colour as opposed to Malaysians who received green birth certificates.

“We are obliged to register all births in Sabah under our law but there is no way an illegal immigrant or their child born here will be granted citizenship from their birth certificate,” Ismail explained at a press conference here today.

He said different-coloured birth certificates were introduced nationwide from 2010 but did not say how many pink-coloured birth certificates have been issued since.

Ismail however said there were instances where some children of IMM13 holders gained citizenship e.g. if one of the parents was a Malaysian and if their marriage was legally registered here.

“If a mother carrying the baby is a non-local but the biological father is a Malaysian, and they are married legally, then the baby will have a Malaysian birth certificate. However, if the same couple did not marry legally, then the baby will follow its mother’s citizenship,” he said.

According to Ismail, there were over 90,000 IMM13 document holders in the state, and many did not register their children’s birth due to neglect or lack of education.

“Illegal immigrants who give birth in the state will not register their births because they will be reported to the immigration department.  But even those with IMM13 or other documents just do not bother about documentation for their children. They are only here to make a living and let their kids roam everywhere without worrying about their future or education.

“Those who do care will come forward and register their child so they can apply for the relevant documents from their consulate or embassy and send their kids to school or travel legally,” said Ismail.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi’s recent statement suggesting the issuance of birth certificates to stateless children came under heavy objection from state leaders including Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, opposition Sabah Progressive Party leader Datuk Yong Teck Lee and Penampang MP Darell Leiking among others.

While they agree that the children needed to be given fair humanitarian treatment including education, many are worried that the birth certificate will eventually lead to abuse and “demographic engineering.”

Yong said that issuing birth certificates to stateless children would only compound the already critical situation of illegal immigrants “submerging”. Sabahans and create more distrust between the people and the government.

He said the government should instead reunite the separated families of street kids and stateless children by working with the Philippine and Indonesian authorities.

Other politicians, including United Pasokmomogun Kadazandusun Murut Organisation (Upko) acting president Datuk Madius Tangaum said policies and actions related to illegal immigrants should be put on hold until the Royal Commission of Inquiry on these issues published its findings and proposals.

He said that a Sabah BN committee, headed by Pairin, will collate various views and proposals to resolve the problem beginning with the recommendation presented by the RCI.

“Until the report is made public, there should not be any announcement, especially government policies, pertaining to illegal immigrants.

“For the record, Upko is against giving such documents. Our view is for such matters to be fully discussed first among the stakeholders such as the BN parties in Sabah,” he said in a statement here today.

Sabahans’ long-standing problem with naturalised immigrants has angered locals in the state where nearly a third of the 3.2 million residents are foreigners.

It has also been alleged that immigrants from neighbouring Indonesia and the Philippines were granted citizenship in return for electoral support to keep Barisan Nasional in power, under a programme dubbed “Project IC” during the administration of Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

This issue was brought up during the RCI that ended last September.

It has been reported that the RCI findings will be tabled in Parliament during the current sitting.