The criteria to be a Malaysian citizen are:

every person born before Malaysia Day who is a citizen of the Malaysia by virtue of

these provisions

every person who immediately before Merdeka Day, was a citizen of Malaysia by virtue

of any of the provisions of the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1948, whether by

operation of law or otherwise

every person born within Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day and before October, 1962

every person born within Malaysia after September 1962, of whose parents one at least

was at the time of the birth either a citizen or permanently resident in Malaysia, or who

was not born a citizen of any other country

every person born outside Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day whose father was a citizen

at the time of his birth and either was born in Malaysia or was at the time of the birth in

service under the Government of Malaysia or of a State

every person born outside Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day whose father was a citizen

at the time of the birth if the birth was, or is, within 1 year of its occurrence or within

such longer period as in any particular case was or is allowed by the Malaysian

Government, registered at a consulate of Malaysia or, if it occurred in Singapore,

Sarawak, Brunei or North Borneo, registered with the Federal Government

every person born on or after Malaysia Day, and having any of the qualifications

specified below

every person born within Malaysia of whose parents one at least is at the time of the birth

either a citizen or permanently resident in Malaysia and

every person born outside the Malaysia whose father is at the time of the birth a citizen

and either was born in Malaysia or is at the time of the birth in the service of the

Federation or of a State and

every person born outside Malaysia whose father is at the time of the birth a citizen and

whose birth is, within 1 year of its occurrence or within such longer period as the

Malaysian Government may in any particular case allow, registered at a consulate of

Malaysia or, if it occurs in Brunei or in a territory prescribed for this purpose by order of

the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, registered with the Malaysian Government and

every person born in Singapore of whose parents one at least is at the time of the birth a

citizen and who is not born citizen otherwise than by virtue of this paragraph and

every person born within Malaysia who is not born a citizen of any country otherwise

than by virtue of this paragraph

Gaining citizenship

A person can become a citizen of Malaysia either by registration or naturalization. In cases by

registration, where a person is by operation of law is a citizen but have yet to be registered, such

person is entitled to citizenship upon application and be registered as a citizen of Malaysia. For

cases by naturalization, this refers to the process of admitting a person not a citizen of Malaysia

to citizenship. This is subjected to the requirements and conditions of the Federal Government.

Any person holding Malaysian citizenship is also disallowed to hold any other country's

citizenship. Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.

Those applying for citizenship by registration must have "an elementary knowledge of the Malay

language". Those applying to become naturalised citizens must have "an adequate knowledge of

the Malay language" and have resided in the country for ten of the past twelve years, including

the twelve months immediately preceding the application. These requirements are set out by Part

III of the Constitution; however, as there is no objective definition of what constitutes

elementary or adequate knowledge of Malay, in practice, the tests are often subjective,

sometimes even varying in whether a written knowledge of Malay is required.[1]