KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 6 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) today announced new regulations for Muslim couples seeking to tie the knot at its state offices during the conditional movement control order (CMCO).

Its director Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad said the new standard operating procedures were in effect from November 2. 

He added that permission had been granted to 3,197 Muslim couples to marry between October 14 and November 3; the period falls partly under the second round of the statewide CMCO, which started on October 27 and is now extended until November 18. 

The Jais director said the districts with the highest number of marriage approvals were in Petaling, for 917 couples, followed by Hulu Langat (708), Gombak (530), Klang (414), Hulu Selangor (182), Sepang (171), Kuala Langat (155), Kuala Selangor (84) and Sabak Bernam (36).

"We expect the number to continue to increase. In the same period, a total of 1,750 couples have been married at their respective District Islamic Religious Offices,” he said in a statement.

Shahizan added that starting from November 2, Jais has a new set of SOPs for Muslims to hold their wedding ceremonies at the state Islamic religious offices. They are as follows:

1. Applicants must get permission to marry under Section 17 of the Islamic Family Law (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 from the district Islamic office.

2. Only three people are allowed to attend the ceremony, namely the bride and groom as well as the wali (bride’s caretaker).

3. Only five marriage ceremonies are allowed in one day, from Monday to Friday (working day).

4. Permission is given to spouses in Selangor or men or women from outside Selangor with the responsibility of obtaining cross-district or state permission.

5. The implementation time of the akad nikah ceremony is from 9am to 4pm

6. Only approved nikah plans from the Selangor Chief Registrar for the Nikah, Cerai and Rujuk will be accepted by the district Islamic office.