He said the decision was made based on the weightage of opinions given after intensive meetings with MPs and party representatives, as well as legal experts, state agency representatives, and the chief whips of all parties.
“All the proposed (amendments) tabled by the home ministry have been agreed to, except those concerning 19B and 14(1)(e), which will remain as before.
“Our proposal (had initially been) to change those involved under 19B and 14(1)(e) to citizens by registration,” he said at a press conference here.
Under Section 19B, Part III of the Second Schedule, foundlings are given automatic citizenship by operation of law, as provided for under an evidentiary provision that gives them the benefit of doubt as to the date and place of their birth, given that the status of their biological parents are unknown and unable to be proven.
Under Section 1(e), Part II of the Second Schedule, similar protection under operation of law is afforded to vulnerable and affected people, such as children born out of wedlock, adopted and abandoned stateless children, and indigenous communities.
Various activists and NGOs, including Lawyers for Liberty, had strongly criticised the amendments, saying they could exacerbate the issue of statelessness or place stateless individuals in precarious situations.
Saifuddin said the Cabinet reminded the home ministry that it should ensure the process of citizenship application is managed through clearer, more prudent and thorough regulations, procedures, and mechanisms once the amendment is passed.
Separately, he said the government collected RM9,477,300 through its Migrant Repatriation Programme.
As of March 21, he said, a total of 19,515 undocumented migrants had registered at the immigration office by paying fines and completing other formalities, and 13,760 had left the country.
The repatriation programme for undocumented workers to return home without facing prosecution started on March 1 and will conclude on Dec 31.
Under the programme, undocumented workers wishing to return to their home countries may do so after paying compound fines for any immigration offences committed.
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