Akta Pendaftaran Negara 1959
Applies to: Federal Act · Official text ↗
- Defines who acts as a registration officer, including the Director General and state directors (s 2).
- Mandates that every person within Malaysia must be registered, subject to any exemptions granted by regulations (s 5).
- Allows the Minister to make regulations on how applications are made, what information is needed, and the form of identity cards (s 6(2)(a)–(e)).
- Allows regulations to require re-registration — for example by people who got their card before eighteen, and by all cardholders within a period not exceeding ten years of their last registration (s 6(2)(h)–(i)); the actual rules are in the regulations
- Authorizes regulations to set fees, conditions for waiving fees, and penalties for contraventions (s 6(2)(q), (u)).
- Grants First Class Magistrates jurisdiction to try offences under this Act and impose full punishments (s 7A).
- Clarifies that this Act does not relieve anyone of obligations under other laws to possess a passport or travel document (s 8).
What this law is
The National Registration Act 1959 (Akta Pendaftaran Negara 1959) is numbered Act 78 in the Laws of Malaysia.
Its long title, as printed in the official text: An Act to provide for the registration of persons in Malaysia, for the issue of identity cards and for purposes connected with it.
Read every section, the amendment history and the official copy on our law library page for this Act.
Offences and penalties
| Offence | Penalty (as written in the Act) | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Contravening regulations made under the Act | as set by the regulations, which may not exceed a fine of fifty thousand ringgit or imprisonment of five years or both | s 6(2)(u) |
Laws cited on this page
| Act 78 | National Registration Act 1959 Akta Pendaftaran Negara 1959 | PDF · PDF (BM) · Official ↗ |
Each law links to our mirror page: a copy of the official text captured on a known date, its version history, and the official source. Law library →
Key sections
| Provision | What it says, in plain words |
|---|---|
| s 2 | This section defines the term 'registration officer' to include the Director General, Deputy Director General, Directors of the Identity Card Division and State National Registration, and any appointed registration officers or agents. |
| s 5 | Every person within Malaysia is required to be registered under this Act, unless an exemption is granted by regulations. |
| s 6 | The Minister may make regulations to cover various aspects of registration, including application procedures, identity card details, re-registration requirements, fees, and penalties for breaking the rules. |
| s 7A | A First Class Magistrate has the legal authority to try any offence under this Act or its regulations and to impose the full punishment for such offences. |
| s 8 | Being registered under this Act does not remove any legal obligation a person may have under other laws to carry a passport or other travel document. |
Worked examples
Facts. Ravi is registered under this Act and holds a valid identity card. He is planning to travel abroad and believes his identity card is sufficient for all travel purposes.
The law. Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to relieve any person of any obligation under any other written law to be in possession of a passport or any other travel document whatsoever (s 8).
Outcome. Ravi must still comply with any other written law requiring him to possess a passport or other travel document for his trip, as this Act does not relieve him of that obligation (s 8).
Examples are simplified illustrations with invented names; real cases turn on their own facts.
Questions & answers
Who is considered a registration officer?
A registration officer includes the Director General and Deputy Director General of National Registration, the Director of the Identity Card Division, the Director of National Registration of each State, and any registration officer or agent appointed under the Act (s 2).
Do I have to register if I live in Malaysia?
Yes, every person within Malaysia shall be registered under this Act, subject to any exemption which may be granted by regulations made under section 6 (s 5).
Can the government make rules about how I apply for registration?
Yes, the Minister may make regulations providing for the manner in which and the places at which application for registration of persons shall be made (s 6(2)(a)).
What happens if I break the regulations under this Act?
Regulations may impose penalties for any contravention, and such penalty shall not exceed a fine of fifty thousand ringgit or imprisonment for a term of five years or both (s 6(2)(u)).
Which court can try offences under this Act?
A First Class Magistrate shall have the jurisdiction to try any offence under this Act or any regulations made under this Act, and to impose the full punishment for any such offence (s 7A).
Does having an identity card mean I don't need a passport for travel?
No, nothing in this Act shall be deemed to relieve any person of any obligation under any other written law to be in possession of a passport or any other travel document whatsoever (s 8).
All questions & answers → · Ask your own →
Sources
Related
Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957Family law: marriage, divorce, maintenance and custodyOfficial resources directory