Special measures to tackle issue of cross-border nuptials

The Kedah government wants to introduce special measures to manage and resolve problems related to marriages contracted across the border.

State Religion, Tourism, Heritage and Works Committee chairman, Datuk Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid said currently there were no special measures to speed up the legalisation process and to manage the issuance of related documents, unlike for Rohingya refugees which were managed by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

"For such refugees, there is the process of how they can stay and go to school in Malaysia....so I fully support if the government could look for the answers from the Attorney-General's Chambers and the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (with regards to cross-border marriage."

Mohd Rawi said this in reply to a supplementary question from Datuk Ahmad Zaini Japar (BN-Bukit Ayer Hitam) at the state assembly sitting, here, Thursday.

He said the issue should receive immediate attention as cross-border nuptials would continue to take place as it was a human issue in the form of family objection to the intended marriage.

To a supplementary question from Md Zuku Yusof (PAS-Kuala Ketil), Mohd Rawi said the state authority was in the process of introducing legalisation for marriages contracted across the border in another country and not registered in Malaysia.

He said it was also preparing a booklet explaining issues involving cross-border marriage and answers to questions commonly asked on the issues for better understanding.

Mohd Rawi said he had discussed together with State Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Entrepreneur Development, and Women and Social Welfare Committee chairman, Datuk Suraya Yaacob this issue and among the steps to be taken might be imposing a minimal fine of RM300 to RM400 compared to RM3,000 currently for cross-border marriage.

"This is not to encourage people to escape across the border to get married, but to ensure those who got married this way would immediately register their marriage here," he said.

-- BERNAMA