Legitimacy Act 1961
Akta Kesahtarafan 1961
Provides for the legitimation of children born out of wedlock.
Read the copy (English) — PDF, 12 pagesBahasa Melayu — PDF, 13 pages
Copy of the official text captured from the Laws of Malaysia portal (AGC) on 26 October 2026. Always check the official portal for the authoritative current version. Amendments made after the official “last updated” date are published separately as amending Acts (Act A…) on the portal.
| Number | Act 60 |
|---|---|
| Type | Federal Act |
| Applies to | Federal |
| Subject | Family, children & welfare |
| Year | 1961 |
| Official “last updated” | 1 January 2006 |
| Published by | Attorney General's Chambers — Laws of Malaysia portal (lom.agc.gov.my) |
| First enacted | 1961 (Act No. 11 of 1961) |
| Revised | 1971 (Act 60 w.e.f. 1 January 1972) |
Long title
An Act to provide for the legitimation of children born out of wedlock.
Contents — Parts and sections
12 sections, headings copied from the “ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS” of the official text (copy of 26 October 2026). Read the full wording in the PDF.
Definitions: section 2 (Interpretation).
- s 1 Short title
- s 2 Interpretation
- s 3 Conditions of application of Act
- s 4 Legitimation by subsequent marriage of parents
- s 5 Declarations of legitimacy of legitimated persons
- s 6 Rights of legitimated persons to take interests in property
- s 7 Succession on intestacy of legitimated persons and their issue
- s 8 Application to illegitimate person dying before marriage of parents
- s 9 Personal rights and obligations of legitimated persons
- s 10 Provisions as to persons legitimated by extraneous law
- s 11 Right of illegitimate child and mother of illegitimate child to succeed on intestacy of the other
- s 12 Saving
- 060e.fm Page 4 Friday, March 31, 2006 3:40 PM
- 060e.fm Page 5 Friday, March 31, 2006 3:40 PM
Related laws
Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (Act 164)
Federal Acts that this law's official text itself refers to (as “[Act N]”), most-referred first.
Amendment history
| Amending law | Short title | In force from |
|---|---|---|
| P.U.(A)435/1971 | Legitimacy Act (Extension) Order 1971 | 01-01-1972 |
| Act 164 | Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 060e.fm Page 12 Friday, March 31, 2006 3:40 PM LAWS OF MALAYSIA Act 60 LEGITIMACY ACT 1961 | 01-03-1982 |
Copied from the “List of amendments” printed in the official text. Amendments made after the text's “as at” date are not in this list — check the portal for later amending Acts.
Version history
| Captured | Language | Official “last updated” | Pages | SHA-256 | File |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 October 2026 | Bahasa Melayu | 1 January 2006 | 13 | 7593a3d40289 | PDF 0.4 MB |
| 26 October 2026 | English | 1 January 2006 | 12 | 425da80c1a48 | PDF 0.3 MB |
A new version is kept only when the official file changes (different SHA-256 fingerprint). Older versions are never overwritten, so you can see what the text said on an earlier date.
Official source
- Official text (English) ↗
- Official text (Bahasa Melayu) ↗
- Attorney General's Chambers — Laws of Malaysia portal (lom.agc.gov.my) ↗
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