Credit : Datuk Seri Saifuddin's X
KUALA LUMPUR, October 24, 2026 — Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail has urged Malaysians to better understand the country’s civil marriage laws, stressing that religious marriage ceremonies and the legal registration of a marriage are two different things.
In a post shared on X on Saturday afternoon, October 24, under the heading “Upacara Agama dan Pendaftaran Perkahwinan: Dua Perkara Berbeza” (“Religious Ceremonies and Marriage Registration: Two Different Matters”), Saifuddin wrote in Malay: “Saya harap rakyat lebih cakna akan peruntukan undang-undang perkahwinan sivil di Malaysia kerana supaya tiada salah faham dan menimbulkan isu & gusar di kalangan rakyat,” which translates as “I hope the people will be more aware of the legal provisions on civil marriage in Malaysia, so that there is no misunderstanding that gives rise to issues and concern among the public.”
https://x.com/saifnasution/status/2113850244501045434
“The Home Minister does not become a marriage officiant”
The post was accompanied by a 40-second video clip in which the minister explained the legal position. “According to the law, the Home Minister can also register marriages. The Home Minister does not become a marriage officiant,” he said in Malay.
He went on to say that for civil marriages, whether the couple follows Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism or any other religion, the marriage ceremony itself is carried out by the leaders of their respective faiths. “It is just that the marriage must be registered according to the law. To register the marriage, you have to go to the National Registration Department,” he said, adding that he regretted the confusion that had arisen from a lack of understanding of the law.
Old video resurfaces
Saifuddin’s remarks follow the recent recirculation online of a video showing him registering a civil marriage between a non-Muslim couple. On October 16, 2026, the National Registration Department (NRD) said the clip had been recorded in 2023 as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebration held in conjunction with National Registration Day that year, and that the matter had already been officially clarified on October 25, 2023, the New Straits Times reported.
“Recycling old footage without explaining the actual context, particularly when it creates a misleading perception, is irresponsible and could cause misunderstandings among the public,” the department said in that statement. It added that it had sought views from the Federal Territories Mufti Department on relevant aspects of Islamic law, and urged the public to rely on facts and explanations from the relevant authorities.
A civil duty, not a religious rite
In a further statement on October 18, 2026, the NRD said civil marriage solemnisation under national law must not be confused with religious rituals, The Star reported. “Every religion, whether Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, or others, has its own marriage customs and practices, which remain the sole prerogative of their respective adherents and religious leaders,” the department said. “However, from a legal standpoint, non-Muslim marriages under Act 164 must be solemnised and registered according to prescribed legal provisions to ensure full legal recognition.”
The department described civil solemnisation by authorised persons under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 as “a civil duty carried out under federal law, not an assumption of religious leadership”. It said civil marriages can take place at its offices, or at approved places of worship and community associations through appointed Assistant Registrars of Marriages.
When the video first went viral in 2023, the NRD explained that under Act 164 the Home Minister, as the minister responsible for civil marriage registration, is empowered to register non-Muslim civil marriages, alongside the department’s Director-General, Deputy Director-General, the Director of the Marriage and Divorce Division, state registration directors and officers serving as Deputy Registrars of Marriages, Free Malaysia Today and Utusan Malaysia reported at the time. The department said then that the vow spoken during registration is drawn from Section 23 of the Act and describes the nature of a civil marriage only, without involving any religious ritual or ethnic custom.
Source : Datuk Seri Saifuddin’s X (https://x.com/saifnasution/status/2113850244501045434)
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