AGE OF MAJORITY ACT 1971
(Act 21)
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
1. Short title
2. Age of majority
3. Interpretation
4. Savings
5. Repeal
SCHEDULE
An Act to amend and consolidate the law relating to the age of majority.
Throughout Malaysia—30 April 1971
BE IT ENACTED by the Duli Yang Maha Mulia Seri Paduka Baginda Yang di-Pertuan Agong
with the advice and consent of the Dewan Negara and Dewan Rakyat in Parliament assembled,
and by the authority of the same, as follows:
1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Age of Majority Act 1971.
2. Age of majority
Subject to the provisions of section 4, the minority of all males and females shall cease and
determine within Malaysia at the age of eighteen years and every such male and female attaining
that age shall be of the age of majority.
3. Interpretation
(1) All computations of age under this Act shall be reckoned according to the Gregorian
calendar.
(2) In computing the age of any person the day on which he was born shall be included as a whole day, and he shall be deemed to have attained the age of eighteen years at the beginning of the eighteenth anniversary of that day.
4. Savings
Nothing in this Act shall affect—
(a) the capacity of any person to act in the following matters, namely, marriage,
divorce, dower and adoption;
(b) the religion and religious rites and usages of any class of persons within
Malaysia;
(c) any provision in any other written law contained fixing the age of majority for the
purposes of that written law.
5. Repeal
The written laws specified in the Schedule are hereby repealed.
Schedule
[Section 5]
1. Age of Majority Act 1961 [Act 9 of 1961].
2. The definition of “ ‘infant’ or ‘minor’ ” in section 2(1) of the Interpretation Ordinance
of Sabah [Cap. 63].
3. The definition of “ ‘infant’ or ‘minor’ ” in section 3(1) of the Interpretation and
General Clauses Enactment 1963 of Sabah [En. 34 of 1963].
4. The definition of “ ‘infant’ or ‘minor’ ” in section 3(1) of the Interpretation Ordinance
of Sarawak [Cap. 1 ].
