Sora Ma becomes Singapore citizen for her son following her husband’s death
Malaysia-born actress Sora Ma is now a Singapore citizen.
In an Instagram post on 16 April, the former Mediacorp artiste, 41, shared that she made the decision a couple of weeks before giving birth to her son, Skye.
Source: @soramayx on Instagram
A friend had suggested the move, saying it would make it much easier for Ma to handle her child’s affairs.
“I hadn’t thought much about it before, but her words were a wake-up call for me as I was still adjusting to handling everything on my own,” she wrote in her caption.
Ma had previously revealed in December 2024 that her husband had passed away six months earlier.
Emails Koh Poh Koon for help to expedite citizenship application
To speed up the process, Ma reached out to Tampines Member of Parliament (MP) Dr Koh Poh Koon for assistance with her citizenship application.
Source: @soramayx on Instagram
She recalled sending him an email at 7.06am on a Saturday morning — and being surprised when she received a reply just 40 minutes later, at 7.46am.
The response, sent from his phone, left Ma “truly impressed by his efficiency”.
In his reply, Dr Koh expressed his condolences on the passing of Ma’s husband, adding that her concerns were completely understandable and that he would do his best to help.
Source: @soramayx on Instagram
He encouraged her to attend a Meet-the-People Session (MPS), typically held on Mondays at 8pm, so they could discuss the matter face to face.
This, he explained, would allow them to speak in “a secure environment for discussing sensitive personal information, ensuring privacy and personal data protection”.
Dr Koh also reminded Ma to bring along the supporting documents she had attached to her initial email.
Citizenship granted faster than anticipated
A week or two later, Ma visited Dr Koh’s community office with all the necessary documents, ready to begin the process of becoming a Singapore citizen.
Source: @soramayx on Instagram
She received her pink identity card (IC) on 22 Jan this year — which also happened to be her birthday.
“I’m not sure if my case was unique or if the MP’s involvement helped speed things up, but my citizenship application was approved much faster than expected!” she shared, adding:
No matter how challenging life may be, I remain hopeful and appreciative of every step forward.
Completed all required activities during confinement period
Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Ma clarified that when she met Dr Koh at the MPS, he didn’t promise that her citizenship application would be approved — only that he would do his best to help.
She also addressed comments from some netizens who felt her Instagram post could be seen as a political endorsement, stressing that her intention was simply to share her personal experience.
“Some people might think I got my pink IC in just a day or two, but I didn’t go into detail about the entire process,” she said.
Ma explained that there are several stages involved in becoming a Singapore citizen, and she went through each step in accordance with the official procedure, including completing the required integration activities during her confinement period.
Photos in her post appear to show her taking part in a Singapore Experiential Visit, which includes tours of sites like the National Museum of Singapore and the NEWater Visitor Centre.
Source: @soramayx on Instagram
She added that when she posted the photo with Dr Koh, she was unaware of any news about Parliament being dissolved or an upcoming General Election — she had simply run into him by chance over the weekend.
“I’m not even sure if he knows who I am — it was the first time I saw him without wearing a mask or cap,” she said. “I was just genuinely grateful and asked to take a photo. It was a heartfelt moment, so I shared it.”
Koh Poh Koon did not know Sora Ma was a celebrity
Responding to Shin Min Daily News’ enquiries, Dr Koh said he did not realise Ma was a public figure when she first reached out to him for help with her citizenship application.
As Ma had been wearing a mask during their meeting and he does not watch much television, neither he nor his volunteer team recognised her.
Dr Koh also stated that he checks emails when he can during breaks, and after reading Ma’s message, he invited her to an MPS to better understand her situation.
During their conversation, he sensed she was feeling overwhelmed, and his team helped draft an appeal letter on her behalf.
He stressed that all residents are treated equally, regardless of background, and his team does their best to support those in need.
Also read: Actress Sora Ma reveals husband died 6 months ago, shortly before the birth of their first child
Actress Sora Ma reveals husband died 6 months ago, shortly before the birth of their first child
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Featured image adapted from @soramayx on Instagram.
