The Malaysians living in limbo.

(From New Straits Times (Malaysia))

Byline: Sonia Ramachandran; Suganthi Suparmaniam; Chan Ming Yang

PETALING JAYA: They have no birth certificates nor identity cards. And though they were born here, they enjoy none of the rights of citizens. In the past two years, more than 3,000 "stateless" people have sought the help of various organisations to legalise themselves or their children. Then, they hope to go to school, get jobs, open a bank account, or go to a hospital and pay local rates.

The 3,000 are just the tip of the iceberg. There are thousands more, mostly poor and illiterate, living in kampung and squatter areas around the country - hoping they won't be caught by the authorities and treated as illegal immigrants.

Era Consumer director Nanthini Ramalo said the problem with …