Jia Yi was born to Malaysian Tan Ban Guan and his Indonesian wife, The Star reported. His parents had tried to register their marriage for months but failed at every attempt.

Tan told the daily that Jia Yi was born before they finally succeeded in registering their marriage at the National Registration Department in Ipoh. By then, it was too late for the boy.

According to The Star, Jia Yi’s volleyball coach, Patrick Morton, is helping Tan apply for the boy’s citizenship for the third time.

Jia Yi himself hopes that the third time will prove lucky.

“I want to be a Malaysian like my siblings and friends. I am just like them, except that I do not have a MyKad,” he was quoted as saying.

“I want to continue attending school and one day represent the country in volleyball,” he told the daily.

The report quoted Morton, who said Jia Yi had asked why he could not represent Perak in the State Schools Sports Council meet.

“He is good enough to represent the state. The obvious reason that he has not been selected is because he’s not a Malaysian citizen,” Morton was reported as saying.

“The boy is a victim of circumstance.”

Morton also told The Star that the application would take about a year to process.