YOURSAY | ‘The less privileged can shout all they want but nobody takes notice.’

COMMENT | Citizenship goals for footballers as stateless struggle

Robbie98: Thank you for the article, R Nadeswaran. The truth regarding citizenship needs to be addressed and it certainly hurts at times.

When 14 of the squad of 23 of the Harimau Malaya team are naturalised citizens, it is embarrassing, to state the least.

They can’t even qualify for the final rounds of major competition.

The quality of the professionals we attract to the Malaysian football league is poor, understandably so, because of the low monetary compensation.

They probably cannot make it into the lowest league in their country. By all means, employ them to improve our abysmal league.

But to fast-track them to citizenship and choose them over native Malaysians to represent our country is the ultimate insult to football-loving Malaysians.

That is not the way to improve our standards.

The second problem here is the ease with which these footballers are awarded citizenship when numerous children and spouses of citizens are repeatedly refused the privilege, in the process destroying their lives.

They are told repeatedly by people in authority that they have no right to citizenship and only the government has to decide who gets awarded. My heart goes out to the people who are waiting.

Determined Sarawakian: Yes, I agree with Nadeswaran. In the last Asean games, 90 percent of the Cambodian team was made up of American-born players.

Despite the fact they won the gold, where was the national pride?

These players are not even their compatriots but paid athletes. This was done so that Cambodia, as the host nation doesn't look like fools, on the medal rankings.

Is winning and pride that important? In Malaysia's case, it's not about 'pride and winnings', it's also about prejudice and discrimination.

Just months ago, there was a news piece about how an Indian student was discriminated against for being Indian and Hindu when he wanted to play football for his secondary school.

His coach tried to coax him into changing his religion and his name. Nadeswaran says we have to source talent at the primary school level.

However, little Napoleons are dictating what and who should be playing and representing the country.

When will Malaysia relive the days of a true Malaysian team with players like Mokhtar Dahari, Soh Chin Aun, R Arumugam, Santokh Singh, Zainal Abidin, Shukor Salleh, James Wong and so on?

Hmmm: The state of our sports, particularly football and hockey, is the result of the discriminatory policies put in place for decades.

The odds are stacked against non-Malays from birth in everything that they do. Even if they excel in their studies, they might still not get a place in the local universities.

So no parents, in their right mind, would allow their children to play sports.

Even if they excel in certain sports, they may also be conveniently overlooked, so why bother? Just look at the composition of our football and hockey teams.

The non-Malays in the football team were not born in Malaysia.

We keep deluding ourselves that we will win.

Bobby0: At the most, they can play football for another five to 10 years. What will they contribute to the nation after that? Maybe look for opportunities elsewhere.

Where does their loyalty lie? Surely in improving their lifestyle or income wherever they get an opportunity.

While children born in this country are given a runaround. While women married to Malaysian men have to wait for a long time just to get the paper or citizenship that will get their life in order.

Here, these temporary skilled foreigners are super fast-forwarded for their documents of citizenship. What a tragedy.

Falcon: Seriously, are we shocked, surprised, at such a travesty of justice aided and abetted by very powerful people in Malaysia?

Why just pick the footballers alone? There are hundreds of economic migrants from failed states here with papers and from applicants born to Malaysians.

So, who are these powerful people? Ten-year-old R Shivaani is just one of thousands still seeking justice in an ocean of hypocrisy and double standards par excellence.

Shameful and despicable.

World Citizen: It is indeed shameful. Shivaani is one of the tens of thousands of genuine Malaysians who suffered from this travesty.

It shows how messed up our priorities are.

Coming back to football itself, how in the heavens do we import so many low-grade foreigners as footballers when all they need to do is give a chance to all our boys irrespective of their racial backgrounds, like in the glorious days of our football in the ‘60s, ‘70s and maybe ‘80s.

Looks like they don't mind foreigners, but not our people. What a crooked, strange and messed up country we live in.

OrangeJaguar9341: Beyond the tale of foreigners married to Malaysians who are unable to get citizenship, there are many more merely seeking permanent residence for years in vain.

They have fulfilled every requirement for permanent residence. Some are highly trained professionals, yet unable to work because of their visa restrictions.

Many have made Malaysia home and have been outstanding members of their communities for many years.

Some are now in their twilight years, and still forced to go to crowded immigration offices and apply for visa renewals every year or every two years.

What kind of system is this? Where is compassion? Nay, where's justice?

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, please do the right thing now.

Oct: It's all about commercial values. If a person lacks them, the person is neglected. However, if a person has commercial value, that person is rewarded.

The government has been selective in whatever they do. In Malaysia, there are two sets of rules for everything.

The less privileged can shout all they want but nobody takes notice.

For the privileged few, whatever they wish, they get. Some are lucky. They get it without asking.

It's not a parallel world for the have and have not. Nothing will change anytime soon.

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