Court: NRD chief not bound by fatwa on child conceived out of wedlock

KUALA LUMPUR: A Muslim child conceived out of wedlock can now take his or her father’s surname following the Court of Appeal’s latest landmark decision.

The appellate court ruled that the National Registration Department (NRD) director-general is not bound by a fatwa or religious edict issued by the National Fatwa Committee to decide on the surname of a Muslim child conceived out of wedlock.