Children of Malay Muslims married to Muslim foreigners can be registered as Malays, says Saifuddin
The home minister says parents can alternatively register their children according to the foreign parent's ancestry.
Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that children of Malay Muslims married to Muslim foreigners can be registered as Malays, according to a written parliamentary reply. He responded to a question from Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) regarding whether foreigners married to Malay Muslims could be considered Bumiputeras and eligible for associated rights and privileges.
Saifuddin emphasized that marrying a Malay Muslim does not automatically make the foreign spouse a Malay. Furthermore, he stated that the national registration department does not possess the authority to determine a person's eligibility as a Bumiputera or their entitlement to the rights and privileges granted under the Federal Constitution.
The constitution defines a Malay as someone who professes Islam, habitually speaks the Malay language, adheres to Malay customs, and satisfies the relevant constitutional criteria concerning birth or residence in the federation prior to Merdeka Day.
Written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
