SHAH ALAM, Amendments to the Selangor Islamic Family Law Enactment 2003 to include provisions for individuals or agents promoting marriages outside the state’s Islamic laws are expected to be tabled in 2026.
State Islamic and Cultural Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) is studying the amendments to the enactment by adding clear provisions on the matter and proposing increased penalties for related offences, including abetting in efforts to combat marriage syndicates.
‘This year alone, seven out of 14 workshops planned by JAIS have been conducted with stakeholders, including the Selangor Syariah Judiciary Department and the Selangor Syariah Prosecution Department, with advice from syariah officers from the State Chamber Office, JAIS legal officers and the Secretariat of the Legal Division of the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS).
‘Further planning will be brought to the technical discussions of the MAIS Legal Committee before b
eing presented at the MAIS meeting, and finally will be tabled at the Selangor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) in 2026,’ he said.
Mohammad Fahmi said this in response to a question from Jefri Mejan (PN-Ijok) regarding efforts to curb marriage syndicates abroad conducted without JAIS’s permission at the Selangor State Assembly sitting here today.
Mohammad Fahmi said that a marriage syndicate refers to a marriage that takes place abroad but is not registered under the Malaysian embassy, resulting in the absence of a recognised marriage certificate.
At present, he said, there are no specific provisions regarding marriage syndicates in the enactment.
Mohammad Fahmi added that, however, the legal provisions and enforcement under Section 124 of Polygamy Without Court Permission and Section 40 (2) Offences Related to Marriage Contracts of the Selangor Islamic Family Law Enactment 2003 have been applied to curb offences in these marriage syndicate activities.
‘I should also inform that the penalties that can be
imposed include a RM1,000 fine or six months imprisonment, or both, if convicted,’ he said.
Source: BERNAMA News Agency
