Malaysia Case Law: Decisions & Judgments

Topic

Article 14(1)(b) federal constitution

Legal area

Court

21 Apr 2026

1. ) TAN KAR CHAI 2. ) TAN LAI HO 1. ) PENDAFTAR BESAR KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA MALAYSIA 2. ) kementerian dalam negeri, malaysia 3. ) Kerajaan Malaysia

Citation

W-01(A)-408-06/2024 (Mahkamah Rayuan)
Court

A
Case number

W-01(A)-408-06/2024 (Mahkamah Rayuan)

Appellants failed to prove the requisite biological parentage at the time of birth required by the Federal Constitution; adoption and post‑adoption documentation cannot supply the constitutionally required facts at birth; section 19B presumption of abandonment did not apply on the evidence; Article 15A decisions are non‑justiciable; therefore the appeal fails and the High Court dismissal is upheld.
18 Nov 2025

1. ) LIM YONG KIM 2. ) LEONG SIEW CHAN (P) 3. ) LIM YONG KIM (WAKIL LITIGASI KEPADA LIM WEI QI BELUM DEWASA) 1. ) Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri 2. ) PENDAFTAR BESAR KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA MALAYSIA

Citation

JB-24NCvC-308-06/2024 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

JB-24NCvC-308-06/2024 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The originating summons is dismissed because, applying the binding Federal Court interpretation of Section 17, the 3rd Applicant was illegitimate at birth so parentage for citizenship follows the mother; the mother is not shown to be a Malaysian citizen or permanently resident, adoption does not retroactively alter legitimacy or confer citizenship at birth, and Section 19B's presumption of a permanently resident mother does not apply on the facts (child was not abandoned and there is information identifying the mother).
28 Nov 2023

MANI SELVARAJ @ MUHAMMAD FIRDAUS BIN ABDULLAH 1. ) PENDAFTAR BESAR KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA MALAYSIA 2. ) KETUA PENGARAH JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA 3. ) MENTERI DALAM NEGERI MALAYSIA

Citation

JA-24NCvC-384-04/2023 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

JA-24NCvC-384-04/2023 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

Plaintiff failed to prove the primary facts necessary to invoke the s19B presumption of an abandoned newborn (no evidence of being 'found exposed', no s9 report, no affidavit or evidence from the alleged acquaintance who provided the birth certificate), and the documentary record showed the original birth certificate and adoption registration related to another named individual; therefore the jus sanguinis limb of Article 14(1)(b) is not satisfied and the application for declaration of citizenship must be dismissed.
2 Aug 2023

1. ) OW MAN YAW 2. ) CHANG YON CHAU 3. ) OW CHEE SENG (BELUM DEWASA) (AYAHNYA SEBAGAI WAKIL LITIGASI) 1. ) Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) 2. ) PENDAFTAR BESAR KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA MALAYSIA

Citation

JA-24NCvC-675-07/2022 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

JA-24NCvC-675-07/2022 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

On the evidence the court found credible indicia of collusion and commercial dealing in the child (payment to an agent, delivery outside the stated clinic, inconsistent registration records and the applicant's recorded statement), therefore the child was not established to be 'found exposed' or abandoned for the purposes of s.19B; the statutory presumption did not apply and applicants failed to prove entitlement to citizenship by operation of law under Article14(1)(b); Article15A relief is a discretionary executive power and the court will not substitute its judgment for the Federal Governmen…
27 Feb 2023

1. ) PHANG FATT MENG 2. ) ONG MAY FONG 1. ) KETUA PENGARAH JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA 2. ) MENTERI DALAM NEGERI MALAYSIA 3. ) Kerajaan Malaysia

Citation

BA-24-40-09/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

BA-24-40-09/2020 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The Child was found to fall within the meaning of 'found exposed' under Section 19B of the Second Schedule; therefore the Child is presumed born to a mother permanently resident in Malaysia and, having been born within the Federation, is a Malaysian citizen by operation of law under Article 14(1)(b) read with Part II s.1(a) and Part III s.19B; CCH (2022) is binding and applies to children given up for adoption at birth.
28 Oct 2022

MAH YOKE YIN 1. ) KETUA PENGARAH JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA 2. ) MENTERI DALAM NEGERI MALAYSIA 3. ) Kerajaan Malaysia

Citation

AA-24-5-04/2022 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

AA-24-5-04/2022 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

The Child, found abandoned and with the place of finding within the Federation, falls within the Section 19B presumption and thereby fulfills Part II Section 1(a) requirements; the Defendants failed to rebut that presumption on the affidavits before the court, therefore the Child is a Malaysian citizen by operation of law under Article 14(1)(b) read with Part II Section 1(a) and Part III Section 19B; consequentially the court ordered mandamus directing the Defendants to replace the birth certificate to record citizenship within 14 days.
1 Mar 2022

1. ) LOH MUN HOE 2. ) LOH KAI HENG 3. ) LOH KAI XUAN 1. ) PENDAFTAR BESAR KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA MALAYSIA 2. ) KETUA PENGARAH JABATAN PENDAFTARAN NEGARA 3. ) MENTERI DALAM NEGERI MALAYSIA 4. ) Kerajaan Malaysia

Citation

WA-25-41-02/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-25-41-02/2021 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

Applicants established a prima facie case that the 2nd and 3rd were born in the Federation and were not born citizens of any other country within the meaning of s1(e), respondents' omission to reply was reviewable, citizenship by operation of law does not require exhaustion of the prescribed administrative form, and therefore the court declared the 2nd and 3rd applicants Malaysian citizens under art 14(1)(b) read with s1(e) and issued mandamus to provide identity documents denoting 'WARGANEGARA'.
29 Nov 2020

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG CHUN KIT (kanak-kanak yang memohon melalui Chung Siew Fei-Bapa kandung) 1.PEGUAM NEGARA 2.KETUA PENDAFTARAN KELAHIRAN DAN KEMATIAN MALAYSIA

Citation

KA-32-2-04/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

KA-32-2-04/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

Application dismissed because the applicant failed to follow the proper mode — no leave obtained under Order 53 and the matter was premature as no decision had been made by the registration authority; the applicant also failed to exhaust the alternative administrative remedy under Article 15A and therefore did not satisfy the cumulative prerequisites for mandamus under s44 SRA.
29 Oct 2019

1. KRISHNA KUMAR A/L S KANNIAPPAN (No. K/P: 701011-10-6567) 2. YATINI TUKIJO (Paspot Indonesia AT 769296) (memohon untuk pihak mereka sendiri dan sebagai wakil litigasi Thievia Krishna Kumar, seorang Kanak-Kanak). 1. PENDAFTAR BESAR, KELAHI

Citation

WA-24-42-08/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)
Court

High Court
Case number

WA-24-42-08/2019 (Mahkamah Tinggi)

High Court has jurisdiction to determine citizenship by operation of law and the child acquired Malaysian citizenship under Article 14(1)(b) read with section 1(a) and section 1(e) Part II Second Schedule because she was born in Malaysia and her biological father was a Malaysian citizen at the time of her birth; section 17 Part III Second Schedule is inapplicable where the child has been legitimised and does not prevent reliance on the father’s citizenship.