Gerawat questions whether Dr Ting still an Australian despite renunciation

0

Datuk Gerawat Gala

MIRI: State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Deputy Speaker Datuk Gerawat Gala is questioning whether former Pujut assemblyman Dr Ting Tiong Choon is officially still an Australian citizen despite his unilateral declaration of renunciation.

He told The Borneo Post yesterday that Dr Ting had not furnished documentary evidence that he was no longer an Australian citizen.

“His unilateral declaration of renunciation of his Australian citizenship is not conclusive. There must be written confirmation from the relevant Australian authorities that he is no more an Australian citizen,” he said.

Gerawat added that Dr Ting’s current predicament was a result of his own actions, and that the latter risked being a stateless person as both Malaysia and Australia do not accept dual citizenship status.

A corporate lawyer before taking up politics, Gerawat said Article 24(1) of the Federal Constitution allows the federal government to deprive a Malaysian of citizenship, but added that this is not automatic as an order has to be made.

“Such order can only be made after an inquiry is conducted according to the procedure set out in Article 27 of the Federal Constitution,” he said.