Malaysian citizenship can be revoked - lawyers

Following the government's decision to revoke the international passport of controversial blogger Alvin Tan and activist Ali Abdul Jalil, calls are imminent for the duo's citizenships to be renounced.

The emerging voices of dissents are unanimous -- that Alvin and Ali must pay a heavy price for their 'misdeeds'.

A question arises, does the country’s law allow for citizenship revocation?

Lawyer Mohd Yusmadi Yusoff said Article 25 of the Federal Constitution may allow revocation of citizenship as principally citizenship rights are a privilege.

Article 25 (1) (a) of Federal Constitution states that the Federal Government may by order deprive of his citizenship of any person who is a citizen by registration under Article 16A or 17 or a citizen by naturalisation if satisfied that he has shown himself by act or speech to be disloyal or disaffected towards the Federation.

“For example, Alvin’s act of leaving the country and saying things like he has no confidence in the legal system may warrant the use of Article 25, following his passport revocation," he told Astro AWANI when contacted.

However, he said as Article 25 states ‘may by order deprive’ - which means the government needs to justify its actions, if it chooses to revoke one's citizenship.

Echoing Yusmadi’s thoughts, lawyer Datuk Mohd Hafarizam Harun said there are provisions under the Federal Constitution but it is stringent, lengthy and tedious.

“Personally, I think people like Alvin should be deprived of his citizenship as you are no longer loyal to the country due to tarnishing the country’s good name, spreading lies and causing racial discomfort.

“His actions forms a basis for a possible citizenship revocation,” he said.

Following Immigration Department Director-General Datuk Mustafa Ibrahim announcement that the passport revocation of the duo will be in effect the moment the department sends a registered letter to the duo informing them that their passports have been revoked, a public outcry that their citizenship should also be revoked, followed suit.

UMNO Cheras Division Head Datuk Seri Syed Ali Alhabshee firmly believed that said the move would be a lesson to some quarters to not spread slander, provocations as well as insults via social site platforms.

"Any individual who is not loyal to the country and is a traitor, should be stripped of his citizenship immediately,” he had said.

Tan is currently in Los Angeles, California while Ali is reportedly in Sweden -- where both are seeking political asylum.

Ali faces three sedition charges for allegedly insulting the Johor royalty and the Sultan of Selangor in his Facebook postings.

Tan faces multiple criminal charges under the Film Censorship Act, Sedition Act and the Penal Code for his controversial online uploads, and seditious social media posting deemed insulting to Islam.