<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 15): Non-Muslims aged 18 to 20 will no longer be eligible for adoption under proposed legal reforms aimed at standardising the definition of a child across Malaysian laws.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2026, tabled for first reading by Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah in the Dewan Rakyat on Thursday, seeks to lower the adoption age ceiling under the Adoption Act 1952 to 18 from 21.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Act governs court-ordered adoptions for non-Muslims in Peninsular Malaysia and Section 2 of the law currently defines a child as an unmarried individual under 21, including a divorced female under that age.</p></div><div class=inPageAd id=div-gpt-ad-inpage></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>According to the Bill’s explanatory statement, the amendment aims to align the definition of a child with the age requirement for the application of citizenship by registration under the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2025.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>It also seeks to bring the definition in line with the Child Act 2001, the age of majority under the Age of Majority Act 1971, as well as the voting age under the Federal Constitution.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p>The Bill will undergo its second and third readings before the current parliamentary sitting ends on Dec 8.</p></div>

<div class=newsTextDataWrapInner><p><em>For more&nbsp;Parliament&nbsp;stories, click&nbsp;<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://theedgemalaysia.com/flash-categories/parliament&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1792036640917000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0cC1xYK_q3K1qJp5qDu2cq" href="https://theedgemalaysia.com/flash-categories/parliament" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></p></div>


Non-Muslims aged 18 to 20 will no longer be eligible for adoption under proposed legal reforms aimed at standardising the definition of a child across Malaysian laws.

Home Ministry proposes lowering non-Muslim adoption age cap to 18 from 21

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<p>The facility came with a price cap on Zetri...

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...

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