Officials in Malaysia and Thailand are working on a plan to allow dual citizenship, but biometric data is a key issue to be resolved, reports Malay Mail Online. Malaysia’s leadership wants Thailand to share citizens’ biometric data.

In calling for the data, Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Dato’ Seri Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, framed it in national security terms, explaining, “we have a system for screening.” In addition to bilateral concerns about trafficking of drugs, weapons, and people, officials are also worried about militants crossing the border, and biometric screen is evidently seen as a security solution, at least by Malaysian officials.

The Deputy PM’s demand signals the growing importance of biometric border screening, with Dr. Zahid having called on all ASEAN countries to adopt such measures last December, and European Union authorities actively exploring such technologyto help manage an ongoing migration crisis as American officials test biometric screening at airports.

Officials from Malaysia and Thailand are hoping to determine a plan at a Working Committee meeting scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur later this year.

Source: Malay Mail Online