While we can’t control whom we will fall in love with and eventually marry, the one thing we can control is ensuring that the country’s laws are abided to while doing so.
Recently, the Immigration Department of Malaysia (JIM) issued a reminder to foreign workers, warning them of possible deportation should they fail to adhere to the law when marrying a Malaysian.
Foreign workers who wed a M’sian will face being deported
In a Facebook post, JIM wrote that foreign workers who marry a Malaysian while being a temporary foreign worker permit (PLKS) holder risk having it automatically cancelled and deported from the country for violating the Immigration Act 1959/63 (Act 155).
The situation will cause locals, especially women, to face the risk of abandonment if they insist on marrying a foreign worker who’s a PLKS holder.
The department also added that the validity of these marriages may vary depending on whether the couple are Muslim or non-Muslim.
If the couple are Muslims who meet all the criteria under Islamic laws, the union will still be considered valid but the PLKS holder will be deported. This will make divorce proceedings more complicated at the Syariah Court.
For non-Muslim couples, their marriage will be deregistered and dissolved by the High Court.
Not meant to bar foreign workers from marrying M’sians
However, JIM was also quick to note that their statement wasn’t aimed at stopping Malaysians from marrying foreign nationals, but rather to clarify the consequences of violating the terms of the PLKS permit.
PLKS holders are also reminded to consult with their home country’s embassy and receive JIM’s approval before tying the knot.
JIM’s director-general Datuk Ruslin Jusoh said the department is looking to hold discussions with relevant parties so that marriages between foreign workers and Malaysians are more uniform.
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