Marriage to Malay Muslims doesn’t change foreigners’ ethnicity, says Saifuddin

Malaysian Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail clarified that a Muslim foreign spouse marrying a Malaysian of Malay descent does not alter the foreign spouse's ethnic background to Malay. This was explained in his written response during a parliamentary session in the Dewan Rakyat. However, Saifuddin noted that some media reports had caused confusion by using headlines that could mislead the public.

He provided the full text of his parliamentary reply to help clarify the situation for the public. Saifuddin emphasized that individuals should verify facts and understand the context before sharing information to avoid the spread of misleading information. He also mentioned that if a child is born from a legally recognized marriage between a Muslim foreign national and a Malaysian citizen of Malay descent under Malaysian law, the child's ethnicity can be registered based on either the mother or father's ethnicity.

This response addressed questions from Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) regarding marriage, Bumiputera status, and eligibility for associated rights and privileges.