Federal Citizenship

21.

Mr. Awbery

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the conditions laid down for members of all races resident in Malaya to become Malayan nationals.

As the answer is necessarily long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is the Minister aware that the Pan-Indian Federation are calling upon the Indian Government to protect their nationals until the Malayan Federation comes to a decision with reference to the nationality of the Pan-Indian Federation?

Malayan cititzenship is not a nationality, and I was not aware of the matter to which my hon. Friend has referred.

Following is the answer:

Malayan citizenship is not a nationality, and does not affect or impair the status of British or other nationals who become Federal citizens. Citizenship may be acquired either automatically or on application. The following persons are automatically Federal citizens:

(a) Any subject of the Ruler of a Malay State.

(b) Any British subject born in either of the Settlements of Penang and Malacca, who is permanently resident (that is say, has completed a continuous period of 15 years' residence) anywhere in the territories comprised in the Federation.

(c) Any British subject born in any of the territories comprised in the Federation whose father, either

(i) was himself born in any of these territories or;

(ii) has resided therein for a continuous period of not less than 15 years;

(d) Any person born in any of the territories comprised in the Federation, who habitually speaks the Malay language and conforms to Malay custom.

(e) Any other person born in any of these territories at any time, both of whose parents were born in any of the territories and have been resident in them for a continuous period of not less than 15 years; and

(f) Any person whose father is, at the date of that person's birth, a Federal citizen.

The provisions regarding the acquisition of citizenship by application are as follow:

The High Commissioner may grant a certificate conferring the status of a Federal citizen on any person who applies and satisfies the High Commissioner—

(a) that either—

(i) he was born in any of the territories comprised in the Federation and has been resident in any one or more of the territories for not less than 8 out of the 12 years preceeding his application; or

(ii) he has been resident in any one or more of those territories for not less than 15 out of the 20 years immediately preceding his application.

(b) The applicant must satisfy the High Commissioner that he is of good character, possesses an adequate knowledge of the Malay or English language, has made a declaration of permanent settlement in the prescribed form, and if his application is approved, that he is willing to take the citizenship oath. An applicant for citizenship must be of the age of 18 or over.

In the case of any person over the age of 45, who has been resident in any of the territories comprised in the territory of the Federation for 20 years, and who applies for citizenship within two years from the appointed day, the language qualifications will be waived.

Volume 464: debated on Wednesday 4 May 1949