The Malaysian Insight

THOSE 60 years old and above of the more than 3,000 Indians holding the red permanent resident identification card will get citizenship status, Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today.
 
He said this was in line with Pakatan Harapan’s election pledge to resolve the issue plaguing the Indian community, in which 3,407 holders of the red card had yet to get citizenship. 

As for those below the age of 60, he said, citizenship status would be given based on several conditions, including that they were born in Malaysia and one of their parents is a Malaysian citizen.

“This promise is in the PH manifesto, where we promised to solve the Indian community’s problems concerning 3,407 red IC holders who are 60 years old and above. 

“Those 60 years old and above will get a blue IC and citizen status,” Dr Mahathir said in a press conference at the Parliament building today. 

The 93-year-old said this after chairing the Special Committee on Management and Scenario of Foreign Workers in Malaysia. It was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and Human Resources Minister M. Kulasegaran.

The Bersatu chairman also said those wishing to obtain the blue IC would first need to register with the National Registry Department. 

Dr Mahathir said there were other conditions applicants had to comply with to be granted citizenship status, such as residing in Malaysia for 10 years in the 12-year period immediately preceding the date of application and an adequate knowledge of Bahasa Malaysia.

“To pass the Bahasa Malaysia test is easy. We make it simple. If they pass, we can give them citizenship status,” he said, adding that the process of issuing blue identity card would take some time.

He said this issue was among one of the earliest to be decided upon in the manifesto. 

“We already decided on this early on but it took time to produce the blue ICs. 

“But we will fulfil the promise to red IC holders above 60 years old,“ Dr Mahathir said. 

Last April, after being announced as the Langkawi candidate for PH, he had a dialogue with the Indian community there.

Dr Mahathir promised the Indian community then that the PH government would not forsake them. – August 14, 2018.