Kuala Lumpur:Marriage between a foreign national of the Islamic faith and a Malaysian citizen of Malay descent does not change the foreign national's ethnicity to Malay, stated Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. He clarified that the individual's ethnicity remains based on their original descent, and the National Registration Department (JPN) will not facilitate a change in ethnicity for the foreign national.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Saifuddin addressed concerns over misleading headlines that could cause misunderstandings. He highlighted that his written reply in the Dewan Rakyat emphasized the unchanged ethnic status of foreign nationals marrying Malaysians.

Saifuddin shared his full response and the related question on social media to ensure public access to accurate information. He urged people to verify facts and understand contexts before sharing information to prevent the spread of misleading reports.

He reiterated that while the ethnic status of a foreign national remains unchanged after marriage, if a child is born from such a union recognized under Malaysian law, parents can choose whether the child is registered under the mother's or father's ethnicity. This clarification was made in response to a question from Pang Hok Liong (PH-Labis) regarding the status and privileges of a Muslim foreign national marrying a Malaysian of Malay ethnicity.