UUM Journal of Legal Studies, 13, No. 1 (January) 2022, pp: 345–380 According to the United Nation Refugee Agency (UNHCR, 2020) there were approximately 3.9 million stateless people around the world and a global figure of 10 million has often been cited11. In 2017, one third out of the 10 million stateless people were children (UNHCR, 2017). Although the exact numbers of stateless children in Malaysia was unknown (Kumar, 2016), reports indicated that there were approximately 290,437 persons who were below 18 years old living in Malaysia, and they did not own any citizenship (Mazura & Nor Hafizah, 2018, p.36). In 2017, it was estimated by researchers that approximately 15,394 children born in Malaysia between 2012 and January 2017 did not have Malaysian citizenship due to various reasons (Nik Imran Abdullah, 2016). Research also revealed that in Malaysia, the number of stateless babies born daily was close to 8 (Nik Imran Abdullah, 2016). In addition to this, the annual report by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) (Annual report Year 2018) has indicated that there was no precise statistics on stateless children or people in Malaysia. Children born as a result of illicit affairs and unregistered marriages were estimated to be the main cause of foundlings and undocumented children. Records from SUHAKAM indicated that about 68 percent (381) of the complaints made to the Sabah SUHAKAM Office in 2017 were related to statelessness (SUHAKAM, Komnas HAM & CHRP, 2018). This research has revealed that there were several government departments such as the National Statistic Department (NSD), the National Registration Department (NRD), the Malaysian Immigration Department and the Ministry of Home Affairs of Malaysia (MOHA), which did not have any data, records, exact statistics or analysis of stateless children or people in Malaysia. In the absence of a national database about stateless children, there was no information on stateless children in the website of any government department that could be made available or accessible to students, researchers, civil society and NGOs (Lumayag, 2016, p.198). As there was no clear categorization and information on the breakdown of stateless children or people, as opposed to other types of migrants, 11 UNHCR.(2020) Petra Nahmias.(January 21, 2020). Better statistics to help end statelessness.https://www.unhcr.org/blogs/better-statistics-to-help-endstatelessness/>. Retrieved date: 9.4.2021. 357