Enforcement of Digital Marital Contracts in Malaysia Legal Analysis and Reform Directions

Nur Farahiyah Mohd Nasir; Mohamad Rizal bin Abd Rahman; Nizamuddin Alias; Roslinah Mahmud

doi:10.47405/mjssh.v10i11.3649

Nur Farahiyah Mohd Nasir Faculty of Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1803-9205
Mohamad Rizal bin Abd Rahman Faculty of Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1461-6060
Nizamuddin Alias Faculty of Law, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Roslinah Mahmud Taman Indah Jaya, Jalan Cecily, 90000 Sandakan, Sabah, Malaysia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.47405/mjssh.v10i11.3649

Keywords: Digital marital contracts, Family Law Malaysia, Electronic evidence, Syariah jurisdiction, Legal digitalisation

Abstract

Digitalisation is transforming how spouses negotiate and record marital commitments, yet Malaysian family law has not clearly addressed whether digitally executed marital agreements carry legal enforceability. This research adopts a doctrinal legal analysis by examining civil and Syariah legislation, relevant case law and evidentiary standards in Malaysia, alongside comparative insights from the United Kingdom and Singapore. The study finds that although Malaysian law recognises marriage as a contract and accepts electronic contracting mechanisms in commercial contexts, digital marital agreements remain procedurally uncertain due to authentication challenges, inconsistent judicial approaches, jurisdictional fragmentation within the dual legal system and the lack of data-protection safeguards for privately stored agreements. It concludes that Malaysia is legally prepared at a conceptual level but requires targeted reforms to provide procedural clarity, strengthen evidentiary reliability and ensure enforceability across both legal jurisdictions so that digitalisation supports the fairness and protection central to family justice.

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