Citizenship by operation of law must prioritize substantive rights over procedural compliance.

[1] The Applicant filed for judicial review for the following reliefs:

i) Suatu perintah Certiorari untuk membatalkan keputusan Responden Pertama yang dimaklumkan melalui surat-surat yang dimaklumkan melalui surat-surat yang bertarikh 3 November 2014 yang mana Responden Pertama telah memutuskan bahawa pendaftaran kelahiran Pemohon-Pemohon di bawah s 1(c), Bahagian II, Jadual Kedua, Perkara 14(1)(b)) Perlembagaan Persekutuan bagi memperolehi taraf kewarganegaraan melalui kuatkuasa undang-undang tidak berjaya;

ii) Suatu Deklarasi yang mengiktirafkan bahawa kelahiran Pemohon-Pemohon didaftarkan di bawah s 1(c), Bahagian II, Jadual Kedua, Perkara 14(1)(b)) Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan memperolehi taraf kewarganegaraan secara kuatkuasa undang-undang (operation in law);

iii) Suatu perintah Mandamus mengarahkan Responden Kedua untuk mengeluarkan kad pengenalan MyKad yang mengiktirafkan Pemohon-Pemohon sebagai warganegara Malaysia secara kuatkuasa undang-undang ("operation in law") di bawah Perkara 14(1)(b) dengan segera; dan

iv) Suatu Deklarasi bahawa Responden-Responden telah memungkiri hak asasi Pemohon-Pemohon dan hak-hak yang diperuntukkan di bawah Perlembagaan Persekutuan dan undang-undang lain yang memperuntukkan perkhidmatan atau faedah sebagai seorang warganegara Malaysia.

The Background Facts

[2] The relevant facts are as follows.

[3] The 1st Applicant was born on 24 March 1980 in Thanjavur, India and the registration was done on 27 March 1980.

[4] The 2nd Applicant was born on 15 December 1981 in India and was registered on 12 January 1982.

[5] The Applicants' had applied for an extension of time to register their births on 21 May 2014 to obtain Malaysian citizenship under art 14(1)(b) of Federal Constitution and read together with s 1(c) of Part II, Second Schedule based on the reason below:

a) The Applicant's father is a Malaysian citizen via registration under art 15(2) Constitution of the Federation of Malaya, Citizenship Rules 1960 since 12 May 1962.

b) The Applicants' mother was an India citizen had married the Applicants' father on 4 December 1975 and registered their marriage in Malaysia on 22 May 1985.

c) The marriage between the parents that was done on 4 December 1975 had confirmed by Pejabat Agama Islam Petaling Jaya on 4 January 1993.

[6] The Applicants' application for an extension of time to register their births was submitted by the 2nd Respondent to the 1st Respondents on 21 May 2014.

[7] The 1st Respondent had decided to reject the Applicants' application on 24 September 2014 and the letter to inform the same to the Applicants dated 3 November 2014.

Undisputed Facts

[8] The following facts are not disputed:

i) The First Applicant ("Mohamed Sadik") was born in Thanjavur District in India on 24 March 1980 to SN Mohamed Ali (father) and KA Najmunnisa (mother).

ii) The Second Applicant ("Mazmeen") was born in India on 15 December 1981 to SN Mohamed Ali (father) and KA Najmunnisa (mother).

iii) SN Mohamed Ali and KA Najmunnisa were in a lawful marriage dated 30 January 2015.

iv) SN Mohamed Ali is the father to both the First and Second Applicants.

v) SN Mohamed Ali has been a Malaysian citizen since 12 May 1962 and as such was a Malaysian citizen at the time the First and Second Applicants were born.

Decision

[9] Learned counsel for the Applicants submitted that the First and Second Applicants qualify as citizens of Malaysia by operation of law pursuant to art 14(1)(b) and s 1(c) of Part II Schedule 2 of the Federal Constitution .

[10] On the contrary, learned senior federal counsel contended that the decision of the 1st Respondent is reasonable and within his