KUALA LUMPUR – The National Registration Department (JPN) has issued a blunt warning against the deliberate recirculation of a 2023 video showing the Home Minister officiating a non-Muslim civil marriage, clarifying that the clip is being weaponized out of context to spark baseless controversy.
Addressing the sudden revival of the footage on social media, JPN confirmed the event was never a recent affair, but rather part of a special program organized for National Registration Day during the department’s Diamond Jubilee celebration back in 2023.
JPN highlighted that the issue was already fully addressed and debunked on Oct 25, 2023, cautioning that spreading outdated clips without proper background creates dangerous false narratives and misleads the public.
“The public, particularly social media users, are urged to be more responsible in verifying the authenticity, date and context of any footage before sharing.
“Stop recycling old issues with misleading narratives. Respect the facts, refer to official explanations and do not turn social media into a platform for creating misunderstandings in society,” the department said.
JPN added that differences in opinion must never be used as an excuse to broadcast information out of context or generate unnecessary public drama.
Setting the legal record straight, JPN reiterated its official mandate under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (Act 164) to register civil marriages for non-Muslim couples. It emphasized that the Home Minister’s participation in officiating the civil ceremony fell strictly within the scope of JPN’s statutory duties and legal responsibilities.
“JPN has also shared the views of the Federal Territories Mufti Department on the relevant aspects of Islamic law as a reference for the public, so that the matter can be assessed based on facts and explanations from the relevant authorities, rather than assumptions or misleading interpretations,” the department said.
To reinforce its position, JPN re-attached its original media statement from Oct 25, 2023, confirming that the civil marriage registration of the two couples at the Putrajaya JPN headquarters was strictly administrative and entirely devoid of any ethnic or religious rituals. – October 17, 2026