ALOR SETAR, KEDAH, MALAYSIA January 13, 2026 – Home Affairs Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has firmly stated that the National Registration Department (JPN) has never intentionally delayed or complicated the implementation of a court decision regarding the granting of citizenship to a 17-year-old teenager.
He made the clarification when speaking to reporters after the Back To School Programme organised by the Kedah State Education Department today.
According to Saifuddin, the issue arose after a lawyer made a public statement that gave an inaccurate impression, as though JPN was obstructing the process despite the court ruling on 8 December 2025 that the teenager should be granted citizenship status and that his MyKad be processed within one month.
“What the lawyer failed to mention is that this case is already known to JPN. It began when the parents approached JPN to apply for a MyKad. Through physical appearance, it was found that there was no resemblance whatsoever between the child and the parents,” Saifuddin said.
Further investigation revealed that the parents admitted the child’s birth certificate was obtained from a private hospital blacklisted by JPN for involvement in a syndicate that issued birth information illegally. The parents admitted knowing the birth certificate was obtained unlawfully when the child was still a baby, but the differences became obvious as the child grew older.
Saifuddin explained that JPN has no objection to the court’s decision, which is in line with Article 14(1)(i) of the Federal Constitution, which provides citizenship to a child whose origin of birth is unknown.
However, implementation requires a first step: the issuance of a valid birth certificate through late registration under the Births and Deaths Registration Act, given that the teenager is already 17 years old. The original birth certificate is considered invalid because it was obtained through a syndicate.
“This process is straightforward — just filling out a form — and has been completed by many Malaysians without any issues. The claim that JPN is making things difficult by requiring verification from an elected representative or government officer is untrue. Verification can be done by an elected representative, government officer, or any relevant party — this is not a new or unusual requirement,” he stressed.
Saifuddin rejected the portrayal that support from an elected representative is a mandatory condition for citizenship, describing such claims as inaccurate and unfair.
He emphasised that JPN will fully comply with the court order, starting with issuing a valid birth certificate through late registration, followed by the issuance of the MyKad as usual.
“There is no issue in this matter. This should not have become an issue at all,” he said.
In addition, Saifuddin highlighted the achievements of the Home Affairs Ministry under his leadership, noting that the backlog of citizenship applications has been drastically reduced from 50,000 to fewer than 4,000 cases within three years.
“Our records show continuous efforts to resolve such issues more efficiently. Claims made by certain parties do not reflect the true situation,” he added.
The statement comes in response to pressure from the lawyer representing the teenager, who alleged that JPN was obstructing the process despite the existence of a court order.
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