The new regulations—Laws 171, 172, and 173—update legislation on immigration, foreign nationals, and citizenship, introducing innovative concepts such as “effective migratory residence”
Home affairs minister Tony Burke says government continues to refuse to help the group of 13
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Some of the Australian women linked to Islamic State fighters may face arrest and possible criminal charges on their return from Syria this week, with the government and federal police promising a hardline response when the group touches down.
The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, confirmed that the government was aware that four Australian women and nine of their children had begun the journey home, after more than a decade of planning by a joint Asio and Australian federal police counter-terrorism taskforce.
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© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad
© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad
© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman has sparked conversation online after opening up about her worries that her 60-year-old mother may never be granted Singapore citizenship, despite spending much of her life in Singapore and raising a family here.
On Thursday (May 30), she shared her concerns on the r/askSingapore forum, hoping to hear from others who may have gone through similar situations or know of successful cases.
In her post, she explained that the rest of her immediate family are already Singapore citizens.
“My dad (her husband) is a 4th-gen Singaporean. My mum is Chinese, my siblings and I are all citizens since birth. I’m about to start work soon, with decent pay considering I’m a fresh grad,” she wrote.
She then asked other Singaporeans if her mother would realistically still stand a chance at citizenship at her age.
“What are the odds of a successful application when she’s in her early 60s, because I have to work for 1 year before applying? Do you know anyone who managed to get citizenship at this age?”
The woman also highlighted several factors she believes could strengthen her mother’s application. Her parents have been married for more than 30 years, all of her children are Singapore citizens, and one of her siblings, who has since passed away, was a government scholar. She also shared that her mother volunteers regularly at the community club.
According to the daughter, her mother had actually been offered Singapore citizenship many years ago but was unable to complete the process because of personal circumstances at the time.
“She was offered Singapore citizenship many decades ago, but she was in an abusive relationship back then, and the boyfriend locked her documents up so she couldn’t get SC.”
In a follow-up comment, the woman shared more details about her mother’s current financial situation, though she was unsure whether these factors would affect the application outcome.
“I just remembered that she has a rental that she gets monthly. It’s about ~S$6k, and she has a small admin role in my family’s company, so she does have CPF contributions.”
“But it’s nowhere near a real full-time job’s salary, so I never remember it. Not sure if rental is considered income? My dad has also contributed to her CPF so she can get the max monthly amount from CPF when she turns 70 or some age.”
In the discussion thread, one Singaporean Redditor commented that the process is “unfortunately a black box,” adding that nobody can say for certain who will eventually be granted citizenship.
They added, “I’ve seen people living here for years and never get it. The quota for Chinese is higher, but people are more likely to get it if [they’re] younger, from what I heard.”
Another Redditor shared a similar case involving their own relative.
“My aunt had the exact same profile as your mom: married SC, both children also SC. The max she could get was PR, and this happened more than 10 years ago, when the immigration rule was not as strict as now, so I think your mom’s chance to get SC is very slim.”
Some commenters were even more pessimistic, with one bluntly saying her age could work against her application.
“No, she won’t get it. That is because she is already 60… a burden to Singapore’s tax and healthcare systems. That is one of the many unfortunate realities of living in Singapore. And even if she gets Singapore citizenship, she will suffer a lot here. High cost of healthcare will bankrupt her or, worse, the entire family.”
A fourth added, “I think [the rejection] would be an issue. To the Singapore government, I offered you SC so many times, but you didn’t want it. Why should I give you SC anymore?”
Despite the discouraging responses, several Redditors still advised the family to apply, saying there was no harm in trying.
To offer a little hope, one user shared, “It’s possible. My mother-in-law was Malaysian, married to a Singaporean, but never applied for citizenship until they retired. She got it within a year.”
Another commented, “My parents got their citizenship at 60+ (mum) and 70+ (dad). Dad is not working. Mum still works as a nurse. They’ve got 4 kids, all who are citizens.”
“I was the latest of my siblings to convert, at 40+, 20 years after serving my NS and reservice obligations. So it’s possible but really depends on the family unit and contributions to the country.”
In other news, a 37-year-old man shared on Reddit that he feels conflicted after his girlfriend suggested reducing the S$5,000 allowance he gives his elderly parents while still expecting at least S$10,000 a month from him.
In his post on the r/asksg forum, he said he has never been married and has been dating his 32-year-old girlfriend, who is divorced with two children, for five years.
Read more: Singapore man says girlfriend wants parents’ allowance cut while taking $10K from him monthly
This article (‘What are the odds?’ — Daughter worries 60-year-old mum may never get Singapore citizenship) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
SINGAPORE: The prosecution is asking for the toughest sentence available against a Singaporean who skipped National Service (NS), in what appears to be a rare full trial for such an offence.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En urged the court to impose up to three years’ jail, along with a S$3,000 fine, for related immigration offences. The accused, Edmond Yao Zhi Hai, had failed to report for enlistment in 1997.
The case has drawn attention because of Yao’s dual citizenship. His defence argued that serving NS would have cost him his Indonesian citizenship, placing him in a legal bind from a young age, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reports (April 28).
District Judge James Elisha Lee didn’t accept the defence’s explanation. He ruled that Yao and his mother would have known about his NS duties early on.
The judge also dismissed the claim that Yao believed he was treated as a foreigner. He noted that the Ministry of Defence’s Central Manpower Base (CMPB) had informed Yao of his obligations.
The offence itself is strict liability, the judge found, which means the prosecution needs only to show that Yao failed to enlist, not why. This effectively shut down the defence’s main argument that Yao acted in good faith.
Prosecutors stated that Yao’s dual nationality shouldn’t affect sentencing. They argued that Singapore law applies to its citizens, regardless of other passports. They also described the case as highly serious, pointing to the long period of non-compliance and what they saw as a lack of remorse.
However, the defence took a different view. Lawyer Sunil Sudheesan said a jail term would ignore the reality of Yao’s situation. Serving NS in Singapore would have meant losing his Indonesian citizenship. He also argued that enforcement had been inconsistent, as authorities were aware of Yao’s status, yet didn’t act earlier.
Yao had travelled openly using his Indonesian passport and didn’t attempt to hide, the defence added.
Cases like this rarely go to trial, as most NS evasion matters are resolved earlier, usually with guilty pleas. This one, however, raises a more complex question: How should Singapore treat citizens with competing legal obligations in another country?
The prosecution’s stance suggests dual citizenship doesn’t dilute NS duties. The defence, on the other hand, presented it as a unique case with no established precedent, arguing that general deterrence doesn’t apply when the situation is so specific.
The court has adjourned Yao’s sentencing to May. The outcome could set a reference point for how similar cases are handled in future, even if they remain rare.
At its core, obligations tied to citizenship are not optional, even when another country’s rules pull in a different direction.
A simple lesson lies beneath the legal arguments: when two systems conflict, ignoring one rarely ends well, and addressing the conflict early would have saved years of uncertainty.
This article (Rare National Service evasion case: Prosecutors push for maximum jail term for Singaporean over dual citizenship dispute) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
MALAYSIA: Statelessness is a prominent problem in Malaysia that affects thousands of children, leaving them without legal identity, education, healthcare, or employment opportunities. Citizenship laws, unregistered births, adoption gaps, and Indigenous or refugee backgrounds contribute to the problem.
For some, mothers face unequal rights in passing nationality, worsening the cycle of invisibility. Despite reforms like the Zero Reject Policy and recent legal rulings, systemic barriers persist, keeping many children vulnerable and excluded from fundamental rights.
A 24‑year‑old man recently shared a heartfelt video on social media about his situation: his mother is Indonesian, his father Bangladeshi, yet he was born in Malaysia. He explained that without citizenship, his future feels uncertain. He fears he may never marry if he remains here, as any children he has could inherit the same struggles.
Netizens argue that Malaysia should impose stricter rules on marriages involving foreign nationals. One X user claimed immigration laws should ban such unions, warning they contribute to the rise of stateless children. The user further suggested that the government fine individuals who enter into these marriages, framing it as a deterrent against future cases of children left without nationality.
Another netizen argued that Malaysia has endured hardships since before independence, from British colonisation to the Japanese occupation. He claimed that children born here without proper documentation are now “trying” to claim Malaysian citizenship, despite the man in the viral video acknowledging he understood the country’s laws.
A third one shared a personal story of someone she knows: a child of Indonesian and Bangladeshi parentage who was abandoned by her mother after she remarried. She expressed sympathy for the girl, noting that she will almost certainly face a difficult life ahead due to her stateless status and lack of support.
Some netizens expressed sympathy for the young man’s plight but placed blame on his parents, arguing they should have planned better before having a child. Commentators stressed that he did not choose to be born in Malaysia and should not be penalised for circumstances beyond his control.
Many Malaysians remain uneasy about the presence of immigrants, and frustration deepens when stateless children are born within the country. While public sentiment reflects dissatisfaction, the issue itself is undeniably growing. Without decisive policy actions, the number of stateless children will continue to rise, thus creating long‑term social and legal challenges that Malaysia cannot afford to ignore.
This article (‘My future is uncertain’: Stateless youth in Malaysia shares his reality) first appeared on The Independent Singapore News.
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