KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 — The National Registration Department (NRD) said that the Home Minister as the minister responsible for the registration of civil marriages can register the marriage of non-Muslim couples in accordance with the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (Act 164).
NRD said in a statement today that it is the agency responsible for registering civil marriages and recording information on marriages and divorces of non-Muslims.
“Based on Act 164, the Home Minister is the minister responsible for the registration of civil marriages which allows him to register marriages of non-Muslim couples.
“The director-general and the deputy director-general of NRD, director of Marriage and Divorce Division, state NRD directors as well as officers and staff of the division also have the authority (to do so),” it said.
The statement was following a viral video showing Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail registering a civil wedding of a non-Muslim couple at the Putrajaya NRD office this morning.
The department said that the registration of marriage was based on civil law under Act 164, and it did not involve or resemble, and was not influenced by any religious or cultural rituals.
It said the pledge by the registrar were words contained under Section 23 of the act explaining the nature of a civil marriage and also the expression of agreement and willingness of a couple to be in the marriage without coercion from any party.
The NRD also called on the public to stop spreading false information and check every news to ensure that public order in the country is maintained.
