TNAG-0660-FCO40-809-Implications-for-Hong-Kong-of-changes-in-British-nationality-1977 — Page 219

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In the upper House the Deputy External Affairs

ister expressed the hope that HMG would not take any unilateral action for amending the present Nationality Act."As in the past, India expects that the British Government would consult her before finalising any legislation in this

matter."

c. Sri Lanka

There are about 250,000 British subjects without citizenship (BSWCs) in Sri Lanka, nearly all Tamil tea plantation workers, whose future is the subject of an agreement between Sri Lanka and India under which these two countries are gradually absorbing them all as citizens. Our proposed new citizenship provisions would not affect them but could draw attention to the fact that they still have a status in United Kingdom law, causing them to claim it or the governments concerned to claim it for them.

d. Malaysia

On Malayan independence in 1957, the Malayan Government reluctantly agreed to allow persons, mainly of Chinese ethnic origin, connected with the Settlements of Penang and Malacca, to retain their citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies even though they were to acquire citizenship of Malaya and have since become citizens of Malaysia. These now number about 1.3 million. There are also about 120,000 persons of Indian ethnic origin, most of whom are CUKCs, who have not become citizens of Malaysia. The new generation of Malaysian Ministers would inevitably have their attention drawn to the status of these people in United Kingdom law, and this might cause the Malaysian Government to exert pressures on them and on HMG.

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