He said the country’s laws and values place a higher emphasis on marriage as a foundation for citizenship eligibility, compared with other countries.

“DNA is important, but far more important is the institution of marriage.

“Islam is the religion of the federation, and we uphold eastern values and our traditions. If we abandon the requirement of marriage and rely solely on DNA, the future of our generations will be at risk,” Saifuddin said during the debate on the Federal Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Saifuddin said while the United States and some countries may allow DNA as the basis to determine citizenship, Malaysia does not.

“We can’t do that (like the Americans). We would ruin the institution of marriage,” he said.

However, Saifuddin said that DNA could be used as supporting evidence in specific cases, such as when marriage records are missing or unclear.

“DNA testing can support a claim but it cannot replace the foundational requirement of marriage,” he said.

Separately, Saifuddin said the government would also fix loopholes in marriages of convenience in which foreign spouses divorce their partners after receiving citizenship.