HARITHARAN A/L MUGUNTHAN v 1. ) Ketua Setiausaha, Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) 2. ) Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara, Malaysia 3. ) Kerajaan Malaysia

w-01a-499-09-2023 Court of Appeal (Mahkamah Rayuan) 29 June 2026 • W-01(A)-499-09/2023 • 28 min read

32 cases cited (0 SG, 32 foreign)

Catchwords

Citizenship by operation of law; Article 14(1)(b) of the Federal Constitution; Second Schedule, Part II, section 1(a) and section 1(e); section 19B, Second Schedule Part III. Child born out of wedlock. Malaysian father; Thai mother; Birth registration not determinative of constitutional citizenship.

Judges (3)

Azhahari Kamal bin Ramli Coram Faizah binti Jamaludin Delivered Hayatul Akmal binti Abdul Aziz Coram

Counsel (4)

Jabatan Peguam Negara Firm R. Renuga Ram & Co. Firm R. Renuga a/p Ramayah Counsel Appellant Shahidah Nafisah binti Leman Counsel Respondent

Parties (4)

Kerajaan Malaysia Respondent Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara, Malaysia Respondent Ketua Setiausaha Kementerian Dalam Negeri Respondent Haritharan a/l Mugunthan Appellant

Statutes Cited

Federal Constitution

Art 15A Art 18 Art 19

Cases Cited (32)

MY (32)

[1981] 1 MLJ 29 [2003] 2 AMR 649 [2004] 2 CLJ 365 [2004] 2 MLJ 401 [2010] 2 CLJ 925 [2010] 2 MLJ 285 [2010] 3 MLRH 856 [2011] 3 MLJ 684 [2011] 9 CLJ 125 [2016] 1 AMR 224 [2016] 1 CLJ 736 [2016] 7 MLJ 717 [2017] 3 MLJ 308 [2017] 5 MLJ 662 [2017] 7 CLJ 33 [2017] 8 AMR 436 [2017] 8 CLJ 16 [2017] 8 CLJ 412 [2018] 1 MLJ 307 [2018] 4 CLJ 758 [2018] 6 MLJ 548 [2020] 3 AMR 421 [2020] 3 MLJ 634 [2020] 4 CLJ 597 [2021] 4 MLJ 236 [2021] 5 AMR 661 [2021] 6 CLJ 471 [2022] 1 AMR 1 [2022] 1 CLJ 1 [2022] 1 MLJ 71 [2023] 3 CLJ 475 [2023] 3 MLJ 227

Judgment

Read the full judgment on the official Malaysia Courts portal.

Read on eJudgment

Source: eJudgment (w-01a-499-09-2023)