Cover Independent broadcast journalist Tehmina Kaoosji shares her experiences as an overseas-born child navigating identity and belonging in Malaysia
Independent broadcast journalist Tehmina Kaoosji shares her experiences as an overseas-born child navigating identity and belonging in Malaysia
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Independent broadcast journalist Tehmina Kaoosji shares her experiences as an overseas-born child navigating identity and belonging
I am an overseas-born child (OBC) of a Malaysian mother. Her name was Loh Loon Nee, and we lost her love and light to the Covid pandemic in August 2021.
The liminal grief of these past few years truly coalesced when I turned 40 recently, as I reflect on my continued status as a non-citizen of Malaysia. This is despite having lived here continuously since 1995.
That’s a breathtaking 30 years. Three entire decades—spanning my childhood, teenage years, and early to mid-adulthood. I pen these aching words, heartened that there’s still a spotlight on Malaysia’s unequal citizenship laws.
This legislative gender discrimination has prevented generations of Malaysian women from automatically conferring citizenship on their own flesh and blood since Merdeka. My mother was born in 1958. She lived and died as a second-class citizen in her own motherland, simply because she was female.
As Malaysia strives boldly forward with aspirations for high-income nation status and leaving no one behind, we must ensure this also means removing all forms of discrimination against women and girls, who make up 50 per cent of our population.
Did you know? According to the latest figures by the United Nations, the majority of Malaysia’s diaspora is women. We have a migration rate of 57 per cent, second only to Thailand regionally and far above the global average of 48 per cent.
Read more: Suriani Kempe: “My overseas-born child is Malaysian too”
Above Tehmina Kaoosji is an independent broadcast journalist, communications consultant and gender equity activist based in Kuala Lumpur.
Tehmina Kaoosji is an independent broadcast journalist, communications consultant and gender equity activist based in Kuala Lumpur.
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Such brain drain will likely continue, as female talent may be further dissuaded from returning home by sexist citizenship laws, which create considerable barriers to laying down roots and raising families.
Perhaps, fittingly, Malaysia has dropped twelve spots to 114th in the latest World Economic Forum 2024 Gender Gap Index.
Until we ensure that Malaysia’s laws do not inherently discriminate against women and enact a retroactive constitutional amendment for equal citizenship, it’s doubtful we’ll see a shift in such global benchmark rankings or in the brain circulation of skilled female Malaysians.
It will also mean continued struggles for OBC children, our Malaysian mothers and binational families in every aspect of daily life.
From financial precarity due to steep international school and private university bills, leading to issues with healthcare access, nutrition and housing, to endless challenges in establishing career paths and even political empowerment—my lived experiences as an OBC of a Malaysian mother encompass all of the above.
“Fun facts”—I’ve worked as a broadcast journalist for more than a decade, covering the full breadth of Malaysian current affairs, represented Malaysia at international media engagements and trainings, and my consultancy work focuses on the women’s rights landscape and social development—yet, I’m neither a Malaysian citizen, nor can I vote.
Yes, it takes stamina and steeling my bleeding heart to continue speaking up against systemic gender discrimination and achieving women’s equity.
Whenever I feel like I’m faltering, I draw strength from the memory of my mother’s typically Hakka-moi determination. That same energy of hers which sustained us through countless, debasing immigration runs over the decades—begging for another visa extension, another application.
Above Kaoosji currently anchors Niaga Spotlight, Astro Awani’s weekly business highlights and future affairs show.
Kaoosji currently anchors Niaga Spotlight, Astro Awani’s weekly business highlights and future affairs show.
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I was barely six months old when this cycle first began. Mom and I were still doing those immigration rounds when I was 16, by which time I had become increasingly aware that OBCs of Malaysian fathers received automatic citizenship.
I was granted my Malaysian PR at the age of 26, then juggled three jobs, constantly trying to catch up to my news media peers after getting my first proper broadcast gig—hosting for Tourism Malaysia’s online tv channel—at the age of 29.
I’ve stopped telling people I’m a late bloomer and now simply speak the truth—gender discrimination ensured I was held back, and it still continues to deny me access to myriad career development opportunities.
The ONLY thing that separates me from OBCs with automatic citizenship is the gender of my Malaysian parent.
Malaysia’s sexist citizenship laws have also indelibly influenced my personal reproductive choices, and I must say, I’ve come to terms with this quite recently. It’s been utterly devastating to face reality—my desire to start a family is tainted by crippling fears of being unable to provide a stable environment for any babies of my own, since even my Malaysian citizenship is still not guaranteed.
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Above “I’ve worked as a broadcast journalist for more than a decade and represented Malaysia at international media engagements—yet, I’m neither a Malaysian citizen, nor can I vote” Kaoosji says (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
Above Tehmina Kaoosji is an independent broadcast journalist, communications consultant and gender equity activist based in Kuala Lumpur (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
“I’ve worked as a broadcast journalist for more than a decade and represented Malaysia at international media engagements—yet, I’m neither a Malaysian citizen, nor can I vote” Kaoosji says (Photo: Tatler Malaysia)
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But, I’ve made a firm decision to stay loud about the vagaries of this soul-crushing systemic oppression.
Please, let’s ensure no more of our Malaysian mothers die with their most earnest wish unfulfilled, and that no more OBCs suffer daily hardships, clipped wings and the stifling of their talents.
Let’s join in solidarity for all Malaysian women and girls to call on the Madani government to pass the Citizenship Amendment speedily, retroactively, and without marginalising anybody during the October session of Parliament. It bears repeating that national development is at stake when 50 per cent of our population—our women and girls—are not full citizens of their own motherland, with equal rights and choices.
May we continue striving for a Malaysia that welcomes, loves and supports every one of our mothers, children and families. #SayaJugaAnakMalaysia #PindaPerkara14UntukIbu
Tehmina Kaoosji is an independent broadcast journalist, communications consultant and gender equity activist based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She currently anchors Niaga Spotlight, Astro Awani’s weekly business highlights and future affairs show. She is a partner and communications director of The Big Picture (TBP) Communications, which has curated and organised the annual Malaysia Women & Girls Forum (MWGF) since 2020, supported by the United Nations in Malaysia and the United Nations Population Fund.
Update on October 17, 2024: This month, Malaysian Parliament passed a law granting automatic citizenship to children born to Malaysian mothers overseas after a two-thirds majority voted to amend the Federal Constitution regarding citizenship laws that previously only gave Malaysian fathers the right to confer automatic citizenship to their children born outside of Malaysia. The automatic citizenship is only prospective in nature and not retroactive—leaving out tens of thousands of existing adult OBC and their Malaysian mothers.
