The criteria to be a Malaysian citizen are:

 every person born before Malaysia Day who is a citizen of the Malaysia by virtue of
these provisions
 every person who immediately before Merdeka Day, was a citizen of Malaysia by virtue
of any of the provisions of the Federation of Malaya Agreement, 1948, whether by
operation of law or otherwise
 every person born within Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day and before October, 1962
 every person born within Malaysia after September 1962, of whose parents one at least
was at the time of the birth either a citizen or permanently resident in Malaysia, or who
was not born a citizen of any other country
 every person born outside Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day whose father was a citizen
at the time of his birth and either was born in Malaysia or was at the time of the birth in
service under the Government of Malaysia or of a State
 every person born outside Malaysia on or after Merdeka Day whose father was a citizen
at the time of the birth if the birth was, or is, within 1 year of its occurrence or within
such longer period as in any particular case was or is allowed by the Malaysian
Government, registered at a consulate of Malaysia or, if it occurred in Singapore,
Sarawak, Brunei or North Borneo, registered with the Federal Government
 every person born on or after Malaysia Day, and having any of the qualifications
specified below
 every person born within Malaysia of whose parents one at least is at the time of the birth
either a citizen or permanently resident in Malaysia and
 every person born outside the Malaysia whose father is at the time of the birth a citizen
and either was born in Malaysia or is at the time of the birth in the service of the
Federation or of a State and
 every person born outside Malaysia whose father is at the time of the birth a citizen and
whose birth is, within 1 year of its occurrence or within such longer period as the
Malaysian Government may in any particular case allow, registered at a consulate of
Malaysia or, if it occurs in Brunei or in a territory prescribed for this purpose by order of
the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, registered with the Malaysian Government and
 every person born in Singapore of whose parents one at least is at the time of the birth a
citizen and who is not born citizen otherwise than by virtue of this paragraph and
 every person born within Malaysia who is not born a citizen of any country otherwise
than by virtue of this paragraph
Gaining citizenship

A person can become a citizen of Malaysia either by registration or naturalization. In cases by

registration, where a person is by operation of law is a citizen but have yet to be registered, such
person is entitled to citizenship upon application and be registered as a citizen of Malaysia. For
cases by naturalization, this refers to the process of admitting a person not a citizen of Malaysia
to citizenship. This is subjected to the requirements and conditions of the Federal Government.
Any person holding Malaysian citizenship is also disallowed to hold any other country's
citizenship. Malaysia does not allow dual citizenship.

Those applying for citizenship by registration must have "an elementary knowledge of the Malay
language". Those applying to become naturalised citizens must have "an adequate knowledge of
the Malay language" and have resided in the country for ten of the past twelve years, including
the twelve months immediately preceding the application. These requirements are set out by Part
III of the Constitution; however, as there is no objective definition of what constitutes
elementary or adequate knowledge of Malay, in practice, the tests are often subjective,
sometimes even varying in whether a written knowledge of Malay is required.[1]