In Malaysia, divorce procedures are different for Muslims and non-Muslims. For non-Muslims, there are in general, two types of divorce – mutual consent and unilateral. The procedure for a mutual consent/joint petition divorce is clearer due to both spouses agreeing to the terms of divorce beforehand.
You can file for divorce without consent from the other (unilateral divorce/single petition) based on four major grounds. You’ll still have to consult a lawyer and if your spouse refuses to sign the divorce petition, you can go ahead and file a single petition. Meanwhile you may also submit yourself to a reconciliation process through a conciliatory body or marriage tribunal in the Jabatan Pendaftaran Negara (JPN). The purpose of the conciliatory body/marriage tribunal is to help reconcile you and your spouse. If reconciliation doesn’t work, you can attach the tribunal’s certificate and file your divorce petition in the High Court.
