THE National Registration Department thanks Mable Teoh of Neuchatel, Switzerland for sharing her thoughts in the letter "Why Can't My Child Be A Citizen?" ( NST, April 25).

The department appreciates her views on the issue of citizenship for children born outside the country to Malaysian mothers married to foreigners.

The department would like to point out that children born outside the Federation of Malaysia are given citizenship based on provisions in the Federal Constitution.

Part 2 of Section 1 (b) of Article 14 (1) (b) of the Federal Constitution reads that everyone born outside the federation whose father at the time of birth is a citizen of Malaysia born in the federation will be granted Malaysian citizenship.

Therefore, the citizen status of a child is dependent solely on the father as per the Federal Constitution.