KUCHING – The federal government’s change to reduce the age limit for applying for citizenship under Article 15A to 18 years will mean that parents and guardians in Sarawak will have to be more proactive in coming forward with the necessary documents, according to government officials.
The amendment to the Constitution, which lowers the age of application from 21 to 18 years, effective from June 2026, was noted by Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah, the Sarawak Minister of Women, Children and Community Wellbeing, to have immediate effects on the number of cases handled every year in the state. The amendment to the Constitution was approved at the federal level.
According to Dato Sri Fatimah, the majority of applications received by the Sarawak government are for children born to parents who are not married or to foreign partners, which is known as illegitimate children. In this situation, the child will take the mother’s citizenship, but if the mother is not a Malaysian citizen, the child’s application must be made through Article 15A.
“Illegitimate children are usually born before the parents’ marriage is registered or involves a foreign spouse. In this situation, the child will take the mother’s citizenship, but if the mother is not a citizen, the child’s citizenship application must be made under Article 15A,” she said.
The minister spoke after attending the Sarawak Endowment Funds (EFS) and Maternity Assistance Handover Ceremony 2026, where he also handed out citizenship approval letters to two people, emphasizing the government’s gradual and humane approach to these issues.
Sarawak has established a special committee to facilitate the submission of applications before they are sent to the federal Citizenship Division in Putrajaya. The function of the committee is administrative and facilitating. It ensures that the application is complete and that the supporting documents are of the required standard.
“It must be emphasized that this committee does not have the authority to approve applications. The final decision lies with the Minister of Home Affairs, but our role is to ensure that no application is submitted that is incomplete or does not meet the criteria,” the minister explained.
Statistics have been presented to the committee, indicating an increase in cases: 36 applications were considered in 2024, but this increased to 63 in 2025, with most of these cases relating to illegitimate children, followed by foster and adopted children.
However, officials called on community leaders and media organizations to assist in the dissemination of proper information, especially in the border regions and cities like Kuching and Miri, where the number of applications received is higher. Proper information will help avoid delays and prevent the submission of incomplete applications.
Some of the key factors that need to be taken into consideration by families
- Timely submission of documents
- Eligibility for Article 15A
- Engaging the special committee for pre-checks
The minister reiterated that while the state committee helps with preparation, the final approval is a federal concern. Further outreach and education programs are expected as the June 2026 deadline draws near.
