Besides Letchumy, 70, who hails from Tanjung Sepat, Selangor, her two daughters K Mala, 35, and K Sarojini, 33, also received their citizenship certificates from the NRD.
The three said they have all these years been denied citizenship by the government. As a result, they named the NRD director-general, the Home Ministry and the government as respondents in their judicial review case filed on Dec 10, 2012.
Their application is based on Article 14 of the federal constitution on the acquisition of citizenship.
Their lawyer, Latheefa Koya (left), who is a co-founder of Lawyers for Liberty, accompanied them to Putrajaya today to collect their citizenship papers."Letchumy spent the last 30 years going in and out of NRD but to no avail. Finally, they have managed to get their citizenship.
"Her daughters could not get married and have been denied every right as an ordinary Malaysian. These include healthcare, schooling and also Employees Provident Fund benefits," Latheefa said.
She said the NRD informed the court on Aug 19 that it intended to resolve the matter.
Letchumy, Mala and Sarojini were given the forms to receive the certificate of confirmation of citizenship by operation of law last Friday and they received their citizenship papers today.
"Subsequently, after getting their citizenship, they applied for the MyKad. They will get their MyKad soon," Latheefa said, adding that the matter suddenly moved super fast and she thanked the authorities for this.
The judicial review issue, she said, has been fixed for Sept 18 for the parties to report to the court on the developments.
According to Latheefa, there are possibly thousands in the Indian community, especially in the rural areas, who have been denied citizenship.
"These people are being discriminated," she said, adding that the NRD "should reach out to the rural areas, as it has the capacity to move in to give such services".
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