Kelantan moves to curb marriages using fake divorce, death certificates

New Straits Times

8 hours ago

KOTA BARU: The Kelantan government is taking steps to strengthen the Islamic Family Law Enactment to address cases involving forged divorce and death certificates used by couples seeking marriage in southern Thailand.
State Islamic Development, Dakwah, Information and Regional Relations Committee chairman Mohd Asri Mat Daud said the proposed amendments would be tabled at the next State Legislative Assembly sitting.
"This will be presented during the next State Legislative Assembly sitting, where full details will be revealed," he said.
He acknowledged that there have been cases involving couples from Kelantan using fake divorce and death certificates to get married in neighbouring Thailand.
He added that all individuals involved have been issued compounds by the state religious department.
"The Kelantan Religious Department was contacted by its counterparts in southern Thailand, who raised concerns about the matter.
"It's not just about Kelantan couples trying to deceive religious officers there to get married, but also involves cross-border marriage syndicates using fake documents for marriage purposes," he said.
Asri said state religious officials have adopted a practical approach in handling such cases.
"We don't want to create further complications or cause hardship for the children born from these marriages.
"So, the department has opted to issue compounds instead," he said.
He assured that the issue of forged marriage documents, whether involving syndicates or couples from Kelantan, remains under control and is not considered alarming.
It was reported yesterday that the Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council had uncovered several cases involving Malaysian women attempting to deceive its religious officers by submitting forged divorce or death certificates in order to marry new Malaysian partners in southern Thailand.
Council deputy president Abdul Aziz Che Mamat said such cases had been detected over the past few years, with most of those involved hailing from Kelantan.