Post by : Meena Ariff

In the last five years, a large number of Malaysians have given up their citizenship, with most choosing to settle in Singapore. Official figures show that out of 61,116 Malaysians who renounced their citizenship, nearly 57,314—or almost 94 percent—became citizens of Singapore. Other countries like Australia and Brunei were far behind in numbers.

On average, about 10,000 Malaysians gave up their citizenship every year during this period. More women than men made this choice, with 35,356 women renouncing citizenship over the five years.

This trend is strongest among younger adults. Those between 31 and 40 years old made up the largest group at 31.6 percent, followed closely by people aged 21 to 30 at 30.8 percent.

Economic reasons were a major factor in this decision. Many Malaysians already work in Singapore, where job opportunities and pay are better, making it easier for them to apply for citizenship. Family reasons also play a part, especially for Malaysians who marry foreigners and move overseas with their spouses.

There are also cases where Malaysian citizenship is revoked. This happens when Malaysians obtain foreign citizenship and use the rights of that nationality, like voting, since Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship under its laws.

This situation highlights the ongoing brain drain problem Malaysia faces. Over the past 50 years, about 1.86 million Malaysians have left the country—around 5.6 percent of the population—which is higher than the global average.

To tackle this, the government has introduced programs to keep talent in the country and encourage Malaysians living abroad to return. Initiatives like Malaysia at Heart help citizens overseas stay connected, while tax breaks and special programs attract skilled Malaysians back to work in the country.

These efforts have had some success, with many professionals returning to Malaysia, suggesting a shift from permanent migration to a more flexible exchange of talent.

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