1.
FORMATION OF A
MARRIAGE

2.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
• To be able to evaluate the pre-requisites and formalities
for a marriage.
• To be able to apply the formalities of a marriage to a
problem question.
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3.
PROMISE TO MARRY
Requirements
• Offer – S2(a) CA
• Acceptance – S2(b) CA
• Consideration
• Capacity – Single (not married, religion does not
prohibit, above 18 y/o, not within prohibited
relationship
Breach of Promise to Marry – Any defences ?
• Misrepresentation of fact by the plaintiff
• A contract to marry is not a contract of uberrimae
fidei
• The Plaintiff’s moral, physical, mental infirmity
• Can the Defendant’s own infirmity be a defence?
Remedies
• Damages – General, Special, Exemplary
• Return of Gifts

4.
FORMALITIES OF A MARRIAGE
Preliminaries
Solemnization
Registration
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5.
INTRODUCTION
Marriage as a contract
Issues
Capacity
to marry
Age Consent
Domicil
e
Restrictio
ns to
marriage Formaliti
es of a
marriage
Preliminari
es
Solemnizatio
n
Registrati
on

6.
CAPACITY TO MARRY
AGE
• Section 10
• Section 12
• Section 21
• Re Maria
Huberdine
Hertogh; Inche
Mansor Adabi v
Adrianus Petrus
Hertogh & Anor
[1951] MLJ 164
• Kanagalingam v
Kanagarajah
[1982] 1 MLJ 264:
• Re the Intended
Marriage between
CONSENT
• Section 22(6)
• Re K and M
[1993] 1 CLJ 51
DOMICILE
• Re Maria
Huberdine
Hertogh; Inche
Mansor Adabi v
Adrianus Petrus
Hertogh & Anor
[1951] MLJ 164
• Arpinya
Rongchotiawatt
ana v Wee Oh
Keng [1998] 1
SLR 520

7.
RESTRICTIONS TO MARRIAGE
o Section 10 – minimum age Male 18, female 16 /
authorised by Chief Minister S 21(2)
o Section 11 – prohibited relationship, exception under
Section 11(1)
o Section 12 – under 21 y/o, consent from guardian
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8.
FORMALITIES OF A MARRIAGE
Basics
Section
4 Section 5
Nancy Khul v Ho Than On [1994] 1 MLJ
545
Section 6
Public Prosecutor v Rajappan [1986] 1 MLJ 152
Isabella Madeline Roy v Sarimah Low Abdullah [2004]
8 CLJ 302
Section
7
Section
8
Section
9
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9.
FORMALITIES OF A MARRIAGE
Preliminaries for a marriage
Presentation of
certificate of
marriage
- Sections 14 to
18
- Note sections
19 and 20
Presentation of
a licence
- Section 21(1),
(2) and (3)
- Note Section
21(5)
Marriages
abroad
- Section 26(1)
Religious
ceremony,
custom or
usage
- Section 22(3)
- Note section
28(3)
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Solemnization of marriage
Presentation of
certificate of
marriage
- Sections
22(1), (2), (4),
(5) & (6)
- Section 23
Presentation of
a licence
- Sections
22(1), (2), (4),
(5) & (6)
- Section 23
Note Section
21(5)
Marriages
abroad
- Section 26(2)
- Cross refer to
Sections 23 &
24
Religious
ceremony,
custom or
usage
Section 22(1)(c)
- Section 22(3)
- Sections 24

10.
FORMALITIES OF A MARRIAGE
- REGISTRATION
Registration of marriages
 Section 25
 Section 27
Marriages pre-1982: section 33
Foreign marriages:
 Section 31
 Section 104
 Section 105
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11.
READINGS
• Daleleer Kaur Randawar, Nur Ezan Rahmat and Akbar
Kamarudin @ Abdul Shukor, Family Law in Malaysia (Lexis
Nexis 2018) Chapter 4
• Kamala M.G. Pillai, Family Law in Malaysia, (LexisNexis
2009), Chapter 2
• Mimi Kamariah Majid, Family Law in Malaysia (Malayan
Law Journal 1999), Chapter 3 & 6
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