THERE is a new hope for stateless and undocumented children to obtain education in Malaysia. In light of the upcoming general election, several political parties have portrayed political will to address education for undocumented communities in Malaysia.

Notably, in its manifesto, Barisan Nasional has pledged to establish a Cabinet Committee for Human Dignity (Insani) to resolve all cases of children born out of wedlock and undocumented children in addition to upholding their right to get education. This effort is commendable and in line with the announcement by caretaker prime minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob declaring refugees and stateless individuals as vulnerable populations in the country.

Muda has also pledged to address the issue of education among stateless and undocumented children through “remove classes” before being fully integrated into the education system.

The exact number of stateless and undocumented children in the country is unknown. A report by Wiki Impact, an online platform dedicated to the impact industry, estimates that there are approximately 300,000 persons under the age of 18 who are undocumented. In 2012-2017, there were roughly 15,394 children born in Malaysia but were not registered as citizens.

Bait Al Amanah, in collaboration with Wiki Impact, has long put together Projek Didik Semua, an initiative that calls for the integration for stateless children into the national education system with the goal of preserving their right to education. We must recognise that the right to education is a human right and indispensable for the exercise of other human rights. It is one of the most powerful tools to raise children out of generational poverty and ensure sustainable development.

The future government is responsible to the voters to the highest degree possible. Therefore, citizens together with civil society organisations have the responsibility to hold the government accountable to fulfil their pledges as a cornerstone for better governance and a prerequisite for an effective democracy. – November 14, 2022.

* Simraatraj Kaur Dhillon is a research and advocacy analyst at Bait Al Amanah. 

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.