b) Complaints on Stateless Children The OCC received complaints mainly from Foreign Spouses Support Group (FSSG) where the main issue relates to children who are denied the right to citizenship because they were born abroad. The members of this group are Malaysian women married to foreigners or foreign wives whose husbands are Malaysian. FFSG complained of the discrimination against Malaysian women married to foreign men and whose children were born overseas. This is because a Malaysian man married to a foreign woman can confer citizenship on his child even if his child were born abroad but it is otherwise for the Malaysian women. According to NGO Yayasan Kasih Sayang Negeri Sembilan the children living in their institution are stateless due to irregularities in parents’ marriage, the children are foundlings, or parents’ whose status is unknown. c) Meeting with Representatives from Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (DHRRA) Malaysia The Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (DHRRA) Malaysia is a local NGO that focusses on issues related to statelessness for more than a decade. DHRRA was keen to work with OCC to ensure a child’s right to citizenship is not denied, especially in cases of genuine stateless children. OCC welcomed the idea and looks forward to working with DHRRA. After the three consultations, visits, gathering of complaints, sharing of data and findings with DHRRA, CC viewed it as pertinent to meet MOHA to discuss these issues. OCC wrote to MOHA and the Immigration Department of Malaysia on 27 April 2020, 17 May, 28 May, and 22 June, highlighting all the issues raised. Another letter dated 7 October requested a courtesy visit. However, MOHA did not respond to the OCC’s request for a meeting. The OCC also wanted to hand over a list of stateless children who had applied for citizenship. 2. CHILDREN’S RIGHT TO EDUCATION The effect of COVID-19 on children’s educational rights is severe. Even without COVID-19, education is still not available in some parts of Malaysia especially in Sabah and Sarawak. OCC organised several dialogues with relevant stakeholders and ministries, and awareness programmes with villagers, and met with relevant agencies to discuss the current situation and seek solutions to the crisis: 92 ANNUAL REPORT 2020