The Court of Appeal today unanimously dismissed two separate applications, the first by an adoptive parent and the second, by a biological father, to compel the National Registration Department (NRD) to grant their children citizenship.

A three-member bench ruled that even though the boys were born in Malaysia, it was incumbent on the applicants to prove the boys were stateless or were not citizens of other countries.

The applicants have to show evidence based on jus soli (birthright citizenship) and jus sanguinis, a principle of nationality law by which citizenship is not determined by place of birth but by having one or both parents who are citizens of the state.