The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya heard arguments on January 20, 2026, in the case of Gopal Muniandy, a 52-year-old man born in Kedah who remains stateless despite lifelong residence in Malaysia. Abandoned as a toddler in a rubber estate, Gopal was cared for by two Malaysian women—P. Rukumani and A. Alamaloo—who have since passed away. Both provided statutory declarations confirming his abandonment by unknown parents named Muniandy and Manoranjitham.
Kedah Man
His lawyer, Surendra Ananth, argued that tracing biological parents is impossible, despite Gopal’s exhaustive efforts including village inquiries, statutory declarations, and newspaper ads. The government insists he must identify his parents first to claim automatic citizenship under Article 14 and Second Schedule Part II Section 1(e) of the Federal Constitution. Gopal, who has faced barriers to loans and employment, seeks only to die as a Malaysian citizen.
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