The court affirmed that an abandoned child is entitled to citizenship by operation of law, invoking the presumption of permanent residency of the mother under the Federal Constitution.

The Factual Background

[1] The plaintiff was born at the Klinik Wanita Wanita, Kuala Lumpur ("the Clinic") on 5 January 2002. The plaintiff was said to have been abandoned by his biological parents at birth.

[2] At the material time, Ong Kim Meng ("OKM") and Foo Mei Chin ("FMC") were informed of the plaintiff's birth by their friend that the Clinic was looking for a family to adopt a baby delivered there. OKM and FMC, who are husband and wife, went to the Clinic and met a doctor whose name they could not now recall. Since OKM and FMC did not have a child of their own, they decided to adopt the plaintiff and bring him home.

[3] OKM and FMC proceeded to register the plaintiff at the National Registration Department ("JPN") with their respective names as the biological parents of the child ("the 1st birth certificate"). In the 1st birth certificate, OKM and FMC were registered as the plaintiff's biological parents. The plaintiff's citizenship was registered as "WARGANEGARA".

[4] On 24 January 2014, when the plaintiff reached 12 years old, a national registration identity card ("MyKad") was issued to the plaintiff by the JPN.

[5] Sometimes in January 2019, OKM and FMC were interviewed by an officer from the JPN. The interview was to enquire on the status of OKM and FMC as the alleged biological parents of the plaintiff. After the interview, the JPN issued a letter to OKM requesting that OKM and FMC undergo a DNA test to confirm their biological relationship with the plaintiff.

[6] The letter, which was dated 11 June 2019, states inter alia as follows:

Dimaklumkan bahawa ujian DNA akan dilakukan di antara ibu kandung Foo Mee Chin, bapa kandung Ong Kim Meng dengan [OZX] oleh Jabatan Kimia Malaysia. Sehubungan dengan itu, tuan/puan bersama pihak berkenaan diminta hadir ke Qualitas Health Klinik Rasah & Surged, Negeri Sembilan pada tarikh yang akan dimaklumkan kemudian untuk diambil spesimen darah sebelum dihantar ke Jabatan Kimia Malaysia oleh pegawai kami.

[7] The DNA test was never conducted.

[8] OKM admitted to the JPN that the plaintiff is not their biological child. The admission was made through a statutory declaration ("SD") dated 15 December 2020. The SD states as follows:

Bahawa saya Ong Kim Meng No Dokumen 611117-05-5359 dengan sesungguhnya dan sebenarnya mengaku bahawa kanak-kanak bernama ONG Zl XIN yang dilahirkan pada 5 Januari 2002 di Klinik Wanita Wanita Kuala Lumpur adalah bukan anak kandung saya bersama isteri FOO MEE CHIN No Kad Pengenalan 630922-05-5240. Dengan ini saya ingin mengeluarkan maklumat suami dan isteri di dalam daftar kelahiran No AZ 00343 selaras dengan hasil siasatan Bahagian Siasatan dan Penguatkuasaan Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara Negeri Sembilan.

[9] In view of the SD, the JPN subsequently issued a new birth certificate ("the 2nd birth certificate") and made the necessary alteration under s 27(3) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 . After the alteration, the plaintiffs 2nd birth certificate states that:

(a) The plaintiff's biological parents as "Maklumat Tidak Diperolehr or information is unavailable.

(b) The plaintiff's citizenship as "Belum ditentukan" or yet to be determined.

[10] On 8 April 2022, OKM and FMC obtained an order under the Adoption Act 1952 at the Seremban Sessions Court ("the adoption order"). Para 3 of the adoption order states as follows:

Pendaftar Besar bagi Kelahiran dan Kematian Malaysia diarahkan untuk mengeluarkan untuk Anaktersebut satu Sijil Kelahiran di bawah Akta Tersebut.

In accordance with the adoption order, the JPN iss