Saifuddin: Children Of Malays And Foreign Muslim Spouses Can Be Registered As Malays

Although the children can be registered as Malay, the foreign spouse isn't automatically granted the same ethnicity status.

The Rakyat Post Shahril Bahrom · News & blogs · 13 hr ago

Key points

The clarification addresses questions surrounding the registration of children whose parents come from different national and ethnic backgrounds, particularly when one parent is a Malaysian Malay and the other is a Muslim foreign national.
The option allows parents to choose how their children’s ethnicity is recorded without requiring the foreign parent to be classified as Malay.
Saifuddin stressed that the provision for children does not mean their foreign parents automatically become Malays or acquire Bumiputera status through marriage.

Sentences selected automatically from the original article by The Rakyat Post.

Also reported by Free Malaysia Today

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Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail says children from legally recognised marriages can be registered under either parent’s ethnicity, but foreign spouses do not automatically qualify for Bumiputera status.

Children born to Malaysians of Malay descent and foreign Muslim spouses can be registered as Malays, provided they are born from a legally recognised marriage, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

As reported by the New Straits Times, Saifuddin clarified that parents in such marriages have the option of registering their children under either the Malaysian parent’s Malay ethnicity or the foreign parent’s ethnicity, subject to the applicable registration requirements.

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Published: October 13, 2026 at 3:02 AM UTC
By: Shahril Bahrom
Section: News
Format: Article
Original: therakyatpost.com ↗

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Related reporting

5 stories on this topic from 4 sources, oldest first.

Oct 2, 4:56 AM UTC
Free Malaysia Today Cop gets 8 years’ jail for cheating duo over foreign spouses’ permits
Oct 12, 3:25 PM UTC
Free Malaysia Today Children of Malay Muslims married to Muslim foreigners can be registered as Malays, says Saifuddin
Oct 13, 3:02 AM UTC
The Rakyat Post Saifuddin: Children Of Malays And Foreign Muslim Spouses Can Be Registered As Malays (this story)
Oct 13, 5:10 AM UTC
Malay Mail Home minister: Children of Muslim Malay-foreign marriages may be registered as Malay, but foreign spouses won’t automatically gain Bumiputera status
Oct 13, 2:40 PM UTC
Bernama General : Marriage Between M'sian Muslim And Foreign National Of The Islamic Faith Won't Change Ethnicity To Malay - Saifuddin Nasution

Saifuddin: Children Of Malays And Foreign Muslim Spouses Can Be Registered As Malays

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