Idris Jusoh: We'll make sure Roisah gets citizenship because she's an extraordinary student

SERDANG, March 27 — The Higher Education Ministry has made it a priority to secure a citizenship for Klang-born but stateless STPM ace Roisah Abdullah who hopes to further her studies at a local university.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the ministry had met with the 21-year-old to discuss possible placement in her university of choice which is Universiti Utara Malaysia last Thursday.

“She was delighted with the offer that was provided but she is still considering her best options.

“We will make sure she gets her citizenship because she is an extraordinary student,” he said after attending the #MyWomen in Higher Education dialogue session at Universiti Putra Malaysia in Seri Kembangan today.

Idris said they were waiting for the Home Ministry’s response before they could proceed further.

To date, she has received three offers from local higher learning institutions after her predicament was highlighted by Malay Mail last week.

Yesterday, the local branch of the Henley Business School under the University of Reading Malaysia (UoRM), offered Roisah to study in its school, ranked among the top 30 in the world.

The offer includs lodging sponsorship at the Student Village from Educity Iskandar Malaysia in Nusajaya, Johor, the institution’s business partner.

With the offer, she is also entitled to a one-year internship with one of the top five accounting firms in Malaysia in the final year.

UoRM’s marketing, communications and recruitment director Madeleine Tan was quoted saying the institution was willing to explore possibilities and make things happen for Roisah.

“We can’t sit here and have a young woman’s future come to a standstill because of a red tape,” she said yesterday.

At the moment Roisah is unable to open bank accounts to receive any monetary aid from donors for her living expenses nor apply for tertiary education studies due to her stateless status.

Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi who is also the Home Minister has the discretionary power to approve applications for citizenship on a case-by-case basis, a power vested in him as Home Minister under the Federal Constitution.

She was born in Klang and adopted by a Malaysian woman at birth.

Her adoptive mother died in 2014.