What criteria do foreign heritage footballers meet for citizenship that others do not?

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Foreign Heritage Footballers Granted Citizenship Amidst Citizenship Appeals

Recent developments indicate that seven foreign heritage footballers representing the national squad, Harimau Malaya, have been granted Malaysian citizenship. This decision has been highlighted in legal proceedings where individuals with Malaysian fathers have been denied citizenship, raising questions about the criteria applied. The ease with which these athletes reportedly obtained citizenship stands in stark contrast to the prolonged struggles faced by Malaysian-born individuals seeking recognition.
Disparities in Citizenship Granting Process

The legal team representing Haritharan Mugunthan, a 24-year-old born in Ipoh to a Malaysian father and a Thai mother, has pointed to the footballers' case as a significant point of comparison. Haritharan, despite being born in Malaysia, holding a Malaysian passport issued when he was a child, and having a Malaysian father, has been repeatedly denied citizenship applications since 2009. His lawyer argues that foreign footballers, possessing no historical ties to Malaysia, were granted citizenship more readily than Malaysian-born individuals like Haritharan. This disparity has fuelled concerns about the consistency and fairness of the citizenship application process.
Legal Arguments and Government Stance

The government's arguments against Haritharan's claim include the assertion that his Malaysian passport was issued during a period when the Immigration Department's system was not integrated with the National Registration Department (NRD). Furthermore, the government contends that possessing a passport does not definitively prove Malaysian citizenship. In Haritharan's specific situation, the government has also argued that as the child of a Thai mother, he would possess Thai citizenship, a claim his legal team has challenged by stating the government has not provided proof of this.
Cases of Children Born Out of Wedlock

The broader context of citizenship for children born out of wedlock to Malaysian fathers and non-Malaysian mothers has also been a point of contention in several court cases. In these instances, the government's position has often been that such children should follow the nationality of their non-Malaysian mother, citing their "illegitimate" status. This stance has been contested by legal representatives arguing for automatic citizenship under the Federal Constitution, particularly when the Malaysian father acknowledges paternity and cares for the child. The government's counter-argument often involves requiring proof of statelessness from these children, a burden that can be difficult to meet.

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What criteria do foreign heritage footballers meet for citizenship that others do not?

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