Nearly 94% of Malaysians who renounced citizenship moved to Singapore

According to Malaysia’s National Registration Department, 61,116 Malaysians renounced their citizenship in the five-year period ending Dec. 17, 2025.

Of that total, 93.78% moved to Singapore, amounting to 57,314 people, making Singapore by far the top destination, according to Mothership.

Australia ranked a distant second, accounting for 2.15% of those who relinquished their Malaysian citizenship.

The data was disclosed by the department’s director-general Badrul Hisham Alias, who said around 10,000 Malaysians renounce citizenship each year, New Straits Times reported.

Under the constitution of Malaysia, dual nationality is not recognized. Singapore also requires individuals to choose a single citizenship once they reach adulthood.

Women and working-age adults made up the bulk of those leaving Malaysia. Over the past five years, 35,356 women renounced Malaysian citizenship. The largest age group was 31 to 40, with 19,287 people, followed closely by those aged 21 to 30, totaling 18,827.

Officials said economic and family reasons were the main drivers behind the trend. For those opting for Singapore citizenship, employment prospects played a decisive role, with many already working there and meeting income and career criteria that eased the naturalization process.