Home Minister says Malay status for children of Muslim Malays and foreign spouses depends on ancestry registration

Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail answered a parliamentary question raised by MP Pang Hok Liong concerning the Bumiputera status of foreigners married to Malay Muslims. He stated that marrying a Malay Muslim does not automatically make the foreign spouse a Malay. The minister also noted that the National Registration Department does not have authority to determine Bumiputera qualification, which is governed by constitutional definitions involving religion, language, customs, and historical residency.

Therefore, children of these marriages can be registered according to the ancestry of the foreign parent rather than being automatically classified as Malay. The clarification underscores the legal framework that separates marital status from ethnic entitlement under the Federal Constitution.