Nafkah anak in the Federal Territories: claiming and enforcing it
You want to know where to claim child maintenance in the Federal Territories when he stops paying.
Where a Federal Territories nafkah anak claim is heard
Every nafkah anak claim for a family in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya or Labuan goes through this one court. There is no district guessing here, only which branch fits where your child lives.
Nafkah anak claims here fall under the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984 (Act 303).[1] The full grounds and process for a maintenance claim sit on the nafkah anak guide; this page covers where a Federal Territories family actually files.
The court and enforcement locally
Nafkah anak here runs through the single Mahkamah Syariah Wilayah Persekutuan (MSWP), at Jalan Sri Hartamas, with branches in Putrajaya and Labuan.[2] The same court structure that hears your claim is also where Bahagian Sokongan Keluarga (BSK) enforcement support operates once an order exists and is not being followed.
Chasing arrears does not mean starting over at a different agency. The same court file is where BSK picks up the trail, tracing the father and recovering what is owed.
For the branch nearest your family, see the Federal Territories hub.
What to prepare
Because one court covers all three territories, confirm the right branch, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya or Labuan, for your family before you send anything in, so your file lands with the office that will actually hear it.
- A list of the child’s actual monthly costs: food, school, healthcare, transport.
- Whatever income information you have for the father, such as payslips or business records.
- A record of what he has paid so far, and what he has missed, so the gap is clear to the court.
- Dates and messages showing when payments stopped or reduced, since the same MSWP office handles both the order and BSK enforcement, so this record stays useful after the order is made.
Custody and maintenance together in the Federal Territories
Custody and maintenance frequently sit together for Federal Territories families, so a hadhanah case often runs alongside this claim. For the wider court process, see the Federal Territories divorce guide, and keep the focus on your child rather than the disagreement with the father.
Common questions
Which Federal Territories court hears my nafkah anak claim?
File where your child actually lives, at the MSWP office covering that area. The Federal Territories Syariah courts sit under MAIWP and JAWI, and the right branch, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya or Labuan, depends on the child's address, not where the marriage was registered.
He has gone quiet and stopped sending money. What are my options in the Federal Territories?
Even without his current address, the MSWP court can still act on what you bring, a payslip, an old workplace, anything. BSK, working through this same court, can help trace him and recover what has built up.
Will moving elsewhere in Malaysia affect an order made in the Federal Territories?
The order itself does not lose force. Arrears remain recoverable as a debt wherever you are, though it helps to tell the MSWP office and BSK if your address or his changes.
Whether he has gone quiet, moved away, or simply stopped paying, tell us what has happened in the Federal Territories and we will help you see the right next step for your child.
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