Malaysia Civil Registration

Research use: Information can be used to compile pedigrees and family groups. Identifies parents, children and spouses and dates and places of vital events. Other relatives are often identified.

Record type: Births, marriages, deaths, divorces.

Time period: 1859-present. In 1961 registration became compulsory for all except Muslims, who were governed by the Muslim Ordinance of 1957. Contents: Births:  Child’s name, birth date and place; parents’ names, residence, and occupation; witnesses’ ages, relationships, residences. Marriages: Bride and groom names, ages, residences, occupations, marriage date and place; sometimes ages and/or birth dates and places; parents' names;  residences, occupations; witnesses and officer who performed ceremony; former spouses. Death registers: Name of deceased, age, death date and place, occupation, name of surviving spouse, informant’s name and residence, cause of death, sometimes birth date and place, parents’ names, children’s names.

Location: National Archives and local civil registry offices.

Population coverage: Before 1980, 10%; after 1980, 80%.

Reliability: Excellent.