Jurisdiction Under Sections 48 and 49 of the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976: A Comprehensive Analysis
A. Introduction The Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 (LRA 1976) governs civil marriages and divorces for non-Muslims in Malaysia. Central to its jurisdictional framework are sections 48 and 49, which determine when Malaysian courts can hear petitions for divorce and judicial separation. These provisions ensure that only cases with a sufficient connection to…