COMMENT | Last Friday, Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail mounted a spirited defence of the government's decision to grant Malaysian citizenship to seven foreign footballers.

He explained that applicants were given basic coaching in the Malay language before their interviews and that time spent overseas could be counted as residence in Malaysia for citizenship purposes.

According to a New Straits Times report on Oct 16, Saifuddin (above) acknowledged that some applicants, including those from Argentina, had never lived in Malaysia for the period ordinarily required under the law.

Yet, he argued that the Federal Constitution empowers the home minister to grant exemptions and treat time spent abroad as though it were residence in Malaysia.