A formerly stateless man has expressed immense gratitude and joy after successfully obtaining Malaysian citizenship, marking the end of a decades-long struggle. His application was approved by the Penang High Court, a decision that has transformed his life and granted him the recognition he had long been seeking.
The court ruling was delivered on November 14 by Judge Datuk Quay Chew Soon, who directed the National Registration Department to issue Mohd Razwil Abdullah, 40, a new birth certificate identifying him as a Malaysian citizen.
According to his lawyer, Habib Rahman Seeni Mohideen, Mohd Razwil’s journey began under challenging circumstances. In 1984, as an infant, he was found abandoned near a garbage bin at Chow Kit Market in Kuala Lumpur. Wrapped in a white towel with his umbilical cord still attached, the newborn was discovered by a woman named Rohaida Abdul Rashid, who took him in and cared for him until he was four years old.
After that, he was handed over to the Social Welfare Department, where he remained until the age of 15, said Habib Rahman during a press conference. The lawyer explained that the case hinged on newly uncovered information provided by Rohaida, which shed light on Mohd Razwil’s background. This crucial development enabled them to reapply for citizenship after previous applications had been denied due to insufficient details about his biological parents.
For Mohd Razwil, the absence of legal identity shaped a difficult life. Raised in welfare homes, he never had the opportunity to know his parents or any other family members. His stateless status posed significant barriers, preventing him from securing stable employment, disqualifying him from accessing free healthcare, and making him vulnerable to exploitation.
Being stateless was incredibly hard. Employers often underpaid me, and I couldn’t access basic rights like healthcare, he shared. Determined to uncover the truth about his origins, Mohd Razwil turned to social media, where he eventually reconnected with Rohaida. Her testimony provided the breakthrough needed to support his case.
Reflecting on his journey, Mohd Razwil expressed both relief and optimism for the future. I spent so many years without an identity, and it was difficult to piece together my history because there were no records. Finding Puan Rohaida was a turning point. I am incredibly grateful to her and the Social Welfare Department for taking care of me when I was young.
Now employed at a restaurant, Mohd Razwil looks forward to starting a new chapter. This citizenship gives me hope. I want to build a stable life and pursue opportunities that were once out of reach, he said.
The case underscores the importance of legal recognition and the impact it has on the lives of stateless individuals. Mohd Razwil’s story is a testament to perseverance and the life-changing power of reclaiming one’s identity.
Mathilda Binti is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact Newswav.
