KUCHING: The Sarawak government cannot determine the speed of approving citizenship applications from stateless children in the state as this is a Federal matter.

       State Women, Childhood and Community Wellbeing Development Minister Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said her ministry would like citizenship applications to be decided speedily.

       "However, the decision on this matter lies with the Home Ministry," she told Ding Kuong Hiing (GPS-Meradong) during question time in the state legislative assembly on Thursday (May 19).

       Ding had asked whether the state government had any plans to speed up the process of tackling the issue of stateless children, apart from the proposed issuance of temporary documents, following the re-establishment of the special committee on citizenship status.

       Fatimah also said the citizenship of stateless children was not a matter discussed under the present devolution of power exercise.

       "This is because the issue of citizenship, even with reference to the Inter-Governmental Committee Report, Malaysia Agreement 1963 and Federal Constitution, has always been agreed to be a Federal matter," she said.

       On the special committee, Fatimah said it was set up in 2016 to facilitate the consideration of citizenship applications received in Sarawak.

       Its tasks include verifying, assessing and endorsing citizenship applications under Article 15A of the Federal Constitution.