Adoption Bill seeks to lower age limit under law from 21 to 18

THE government is proposing to amend the Adoption Act 1952 to change the legal definition of a “child” from a person below 21 to one below 18.

The Adoption (Amendment) Bill 2026 was tabled for its first reading in the Dewan Rakyat today.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the Bill was scheduled for its second and third readings during the current parliamentary sitting.

According to the Bill published on Parliament’s website, the proposed amendment to Section 2 of the Adoption Act 1952 (Act 257) would lower the age threshold in the definition of a “child” from 21 to 18.

The Bill states that the change is intended to align the definition with the age limit for applying for citizenship by registration under the Constitution (Amendment) Act 2025 (Act A1752).

It would also bring the definition into line with Malaysia’s voting age under the Federal Constitution, the definition of a child under the Child Act 2001 (Act 611), and the age of majority under the Age of Majority Act 1971 (Act 21). – October 15, 2026