Translation: Taken from Utusan Malaysia

Just wanted to do a quick exercise of translating this Malay article into English. Considering the inflammatory language used by the original author/editor/newspaper, I’m trying to make the English version as neutral as possible.

Be wary of mixed marriages
By ZULKIFLI JALIL
email: pengarang@utusan.com.my

PUTRAJAYA 25 Feb. – Youths, including artists and celebrities were reminded to think “a thousand times or more” before entering into a mixed marriage, as studies show that the success rate of such marriages were only 3:10.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim explained that studies carried out in Malaysia between 1995 to 1998 discovered that only three out of every ten mixed marriages succeed.

According to him, the failure is higher among couples with at a Caucasian partner.

“However, in such marriages where the non-Muslim partner enters Islam, the success rate is much higher.”

“This has become common, so youths, including artists can use this as encouragement. If you’d like to know more about this study, you can get it from the civil marriages registration from the syariah records in Johor and Wilayah Persekutuan,” he said to Utusan Malaysia today.

Rais was also asked on his opinion regarding the separation between actress Maya Karin and her husband.

The beautiful actress explained the reason for her marriage’s breakdown laid on them, as they had not taken into account their cultural differences before getting married.

Rais who is also an expert on law and the Constitution, refused to comment on her marriage, saying the reality was there were a lot of hardship a mixed couple would face.

“Such marriages fail because of the many differences in lifestyle, culture, and religion each person was raised into.

“It’s just that most of these marriages are based on ‘whirlwind romances’, so after a short while, each partner falls back to the culture they were raised in.” Translator’s note: I have no idea what he’s trying to say here, actually. I understand the words, but when strung together they make no sense. Alternatives MORE than welcome for this particular section.

Legally speaking, Rais said that mixed couples face quite severe problems if their marriage faces trouble.

“It’s not easy to get a Malaysian citizenship. However, things are easier for a woman marrying a Malaysian man rather than the other way around.”

“This is because citizenship in Sections 16 and 17 of the Federal Constitution is based more on the father’s side and not the mother’s,” he said.

He continued, “It gets even worse if they have a child, as the father may “kidnap” the child back to England or Europe, so in such cases, if the mixed marriage fails, it would be better for them to not have children.”

Original under the cut:

Waspada kahwin campur
Oleh ZULKIFLI JALIL
pengarang@utusan.com.my

PUTRAJAYA 25 Feb. – Golongan muda termasuk kalangan artis diingatkan supaya berfikir ‘beribu kali’ sebelum memasuki gerbang perkahwinan campur kerana kajian menunjukkan kejayaannya hanya 3:10.

Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim berkata, kajian ilmiah yang dilakukan oleh beberapa ahli sosiologi di negara ini antara 1995 hingga 1998 mendapati dalam setiap 10 perkahwinan campur, hanya tiga berjaya.

Malah, kata beliau, kegagalan perkahwinan campur amat ketara apabila melibatkan pasangan dari kalangan warga kulit putih atau mat saleh.

”Tetapi perkahwinan campur di Malaysia melibatkan si lelaki atau wanita dari kalangan bukan Islam yang kemudiannya memeluk Islam begitu berjaya berbanding kahwin campur dengan warga asing dari barat ini.

”Ini sudah jadi lumrah, jadi, orang muda termasuk kalangan artis boleh mengambil iktibar ini dan sekiranya mahu menelaah kajian ini yang turut dilengkapi dengan panduan, anda boleh mendapatkannya daripada bahagian pendaftaran perkahwinan sivil dari rekod simpanan syariah di Johor dan Wilayah Persekutuan,” katanya kepada Utusan Malaysia hari ini.

Rais ditanya pandangan beliau berhubung keretakan rumah tangga aktres Maya Karin, 31, yang dilaporkan sudah tidak sebumbung dengan suaminya.

Pelakon jelita yang mengesahkan perkara itu memberitahu, punca keretakan rumah tangganya dengan suami, Steven David Shorthose atau Muhammad Ali, 41, dari Itali sebagai kesilapan mereka sendiri kerana tidak menyedari faktor perbezaan budaya sewaktu seronok bercinta.

Enggan langsung mengulas pergolakan rumah tangga yang dihadapi Maya Karin, Rais yang juga pakar perundangan dan Perlembagaan Persekutuan berkata, realitinya banyak liku yang perlu dihadapi oleh pasangan kahwin campur.

”Kegagalan perkahwinan disebabkan perbezaan budaya, agama dan cara seseorang itu dibesarkan di khalayak negara masing-masing.

”Cuma, kebanyakan perkahwinan lebih didasarkan kepada ‘asmara pendek’, maknanya apabila sudah melalui satu tempoh singkat, masing-masing akan menyorot balik tuntutan budaya dan agama pada sudut khalayak di mana dia dilahirkan,” katanya.

Dari segi undang-undang pula, kata Rais, pasangan kahwin campur dijangka menghadapi masalah yang agak berat jika perkahwinan mereka bergolak.

”Tidak semudah itu juga untuk mendapat taraf kerakyatan Malaysia, dalam soal ini ia adalah lebih mudah jika melibatkan wanita yang berkahwin dengan lelaki warganegara Malaysia berbanding sebaliknya.

”Ini disebabkan taraf kewarganegaraan dalam Seksyen 16 dan 17 Perlembagaan Persekutuan adalah terasas pada pertimbangan kebapaan dan bukannya keibuan,” katanya.

Kata beliau: ”Apatah lagi (meruncingnya perkahwinan campur) kalau pasangan terbabit ada anak, maka si bapa akan ‘melarikan’ anak kembali ke England dan Eropah, dan dalam soal ini, perkahwinan campur yang gagal, adalah lebih baik jika pasangan itu tiada anak.”

4 thoughts on “Translation: Taken from Utusan Malaysia

  1. “It’s just that most of these marriages are based on ‘whirlwind romances’, so after a short while, each partner falls back to the culture they were raised in.” <-I got what you translated, though. It means the romance is transient and after it, people will be back to normal which they are used to be, doesn't it?

  2. dont know what to say here….isnt it the same as mixed marriages with muslims? i’ve been told, the muslim husband will have more rights to keep the children….compared to the wife who arent muslim since birth…=-=

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