Malaysian Actress Sora Ma Becomes Singapore Citizen after Husband’s Death during Pregnancy

By
Loh Huey Xin
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Sora Ma, a Malaysian actress based in Singapore, became a Singapore citizen on 22 Jan 2025, which was also her birthday.

This decision came after she suddenly became a single mother when her husband passed away during her pregnancy.

In an interview with Shin Min Daily News, Ma shared that she’s learning to be a good Singaporean while actively pursuing acting opportunities and auditioning for drama series.

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The Citizenship Journey

Four days ago, Ma posted on social media a photo of herself holding her baby with Dr Koh Poh Koon, MP for Tampines GRC.

 

In her post, she detailed her citizenship application process and thanked Dr Koh, who is also Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Sustainability and the Environment, for his help.

Ma decided to apply for citizenship to make it easier to handle matters related to her child after her husband’s death.

“This was my first time seeking help from a government official. To my surprise, I received a reply just 40 minutes later, and the email showed that he had responded from his phone. A week or two later, I had my documents ready and went to his community office,” she said.

Since she was close to her delivery date, arrangements were made for her to enter the venue early.

“I first met with the staff and explained my situation and what help I needed. When Dr Koh met me, he didn’t promise he could help me get it, but said he would try his best, and kindly reminded me to take good care of myself.”

She explained that becoming a Singapore citizen involves a three-step process, which she completed according to standard procedures, even finishing required activities during her confinement period.

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Clarifying Her Intentions

After publishing her post, Ma received private messages warning her that the timing of her post might seem like political support. She clarified that she only wanted to share her experience.

“People might think I got my pink IC easily in just a day or two, but I didn’t explain the whole process in detail,” she explained.

Ma said she wasn’t aware of the news about Parliament dissolution or the General Election when she made the post. Moreover, she coincidentally bumped into Dr Koh over the past weekend.

“I don’t know if he recognised who I was, but that was my first time meeting him without a mask and hat. I was just grateful and asked for a photo together, then felt inspired to upload it.”

She also revealed that after becoming a citizen, she’s interested in courses offered by SkillsFuture and hopes to enroll to learn new skills.

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MP’s Response

Dr Koh Poh Koon, the incumbent MP for Tampines GRC, said in an interview that when he received Ma’s email requesting help, he initially didn’t know she was an actress.

He and his team treat all residents’ requests equally and try their best to help within their capabilities.

“I actually check emails whenever I have free time. After reading her letter and learning about her situation, I asked her to come to our Meet-the-People Session as soon as possible so we could better understand her circumstances.”

Dr Koh revealed that he doesn’t watch TV programs often, and since Ma was wearing a mask when she arrived, neither he nor his volunteer team realised she was an actress.

“Only after talking with her did I deeply understand her uncertainty at that time. We wrote a letter to appeal to the relevant authorities. We’re very happy that we could help her achieve a good outcome.”

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Dr Koh also pointed out that residents who seek assistance are all facing life challenges.

“We treat everyone equally and try our best to help within our capabilities. Some issues are more complex and may require coordination across departments and more time to resolve, while others can achieve desirable results more quickly.”

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Loh Huey Xin