Give stateless persons banking access, urges Malaysian Bar

The Malaysian Bar has called on the banking sector and regulators to take immediate action to address the financial exclusion faced by stateless persons in Malaysia. President Anand Raj highlighted that many stateless individuals are unable to access banking facilities due to a lack of a recognized identity document, making it virtually impossible for them to participate in the formal economy. He argued that the absence of modern tools, such as biometrics, to verify customer identity is unacceptable in today's world.

Anand proposed accepting alternative forms of documentation and utilizing biometric technology to enable financial inclusion. He noted that while the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) requires banks to provide low-cost basic accounts to vulnerable groups, the eligibility criteria explicitly exclude stateless persons. The Bar president emphasized that being denied formal banking accounts traps stateless individuals in a cash-only existence, preventing them from safely storing money, receiving formal wages, or starting legal businesses. This leaves them vulnerable to wage theft and financial exploitation.

Anand stressed that in a modern economy, the right to earn a living with dignity, as outlined in Article 5 of the Federal Constitution, is directly linked to having basic financial access. He firmly stated that no one should be denied meaningful financial inclusion based on formalistic or pedantic reasons. He urged the banking industry, BNM, and other relevant authorities to take immediate, meaningful, and humanitarian steps to provide solutions for stateless persons, without resorting to lengthy court proceedings.