This is because both brothers, aged 17 and 18, are not Malaysian citizens despite being born and bred in the country.
Fitri and Rizal’s non-citizen status is indicated in their birth certificates.
Their father, Hassan Basri Abdul Wahab, 61, had married his Filipino wife, Siti Nurshuhada Abdullah, 52, in the Philippines in 2011. They only registered their marriage in Malaysia in 2012.
By then, Fitri and Rizal were already born and had since been classified as non-citizens in spite of Hassan being a Malaysian.
“We have been trying for many years to apply for citizenship for our two sons but our efforts have been futile.
“Since I am a Malaysian, shouldn’t my two sons be citizens as well? This really does not make sense,” Hassan told reporters here today.
Fitri, Hassan said, is a talented silat exponent who has won silver and bronze medals in inter-state tourneys, but was unable to take part in tournaments overseas due to his status.
Fitri has been working as an assistant cook at a Western food eatery and Rizal as a waiter since last year.
Aside from the two boys, Hassan and Siti have another two daughters, Farah Elisha, 13, and Natasha Kartika, 12. They are both studying at Convent Light Street as foreign students.
Hassan said he had to pay foreign students’ fees for their two daughters.
Hassan’s family was just one of many families present at the National Registration Department (NRD) office here this morning as they sought to have their non-citizen children registered.
Penang PKR, led by its programme coordinator A Kumaresan, Padang Serai MP N Surendran, Bayan Baru MP Sim Tze Tzin and lawyer Latheefa Koya, today sought to assist the registration of 41 children.
The information on the 41 children was collected and their applications submitted with all the necessary documentation.
Speaking to reporters, Sim said there was no path to citizenship for the children and parents were made to run around from one department to another.
“There is no proper or clear procedure to apply for citizenship. This is the failure of the NRD.
“Do not deny the children’s rights to education just because the parents did not register their marriage in Malaysia,” he said.
Sim said this issue had been highlighted many times in Parliament but claimed that the home minister had not properly addressed the issue.
“The minister merely said they have procedures and processes, but we don’t hear any success stories.
“There must be a total reform of the entire registration system. Don’t kick the parents around.
“This is an absolutely failed system,” he said.
Surendran said they were assisting the 41 children who had been denied citizenship.
“We believe there are many more such cases out there. Not just in Penang, but also in Malaysia.”
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