Quick Certified Translation Guide for Malaysia <> United Kingdom (2025)

1. Procedure

1.1 All documents not in English or Welsh must be translated into English or Welsh [1].

1.2 The UK requests the certified translator to declare or state the following in writing:

(i) that s/he is a professional person or someone ‘of good standing’;

(ii) that s/he is not personally related to the person requesting the translation;

(iii) that the translation is a ‘true and accurate translation of the original document’;

(iv) the date of the translation; and

(v) his/her full name and contact details [2].

1.3 A translation can also be certified by a Notary Public [3], provided all details in Section 1.2 are provided.

1.4 MYLegalTrans’ team consists of nationally and CIOL-certified translators, as well as Notaries Public. 

Certification by a nationally certified translator is recommended as it is the most affordable and efficient.

2. FAQs

2.1 What does Certified Translation mean? How is it different from non-certified translation?

In the UK,  certified translations are stamped and/or signed by a professional translator or translation company accredited by the relevant professional body, such as the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL), the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI), or the Association of Translation Companies (ATC) [4].

For documents issued in Malaysia, the UK government also accepts Certified Translation provided by one of the following Malaysian statutory organisations:

(i) ITBM, established based on the approval of a cabinet meeting in 1992 following a memorandum from the Minister of Education (MoE) [5]. 

(ii) DBP, established based on the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Act 1959. Its administration is managed by the MoE [6].

(iii) MTA, a voluntary professional body established under the auspices of DBP, and is the sole Malaysian member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT) [7], an international organisation which has consultative status with UNESCO [8].

(iv) High Court Interpreters, governed by the Practising Certificates Unit and supervised by the High Court of Malaya [9].

(v) Notaries Public, governed under the Notaries Public Act 1959 [10].

A translation is considered certified when it is registered with CIOL, ITI, ATC, ITBM, DBP, MTA the Malaysian High Court or the Notary Public. 

2.2 Why does Certified Translation take so long even for documents with just a few words?

For the British authorities, before certification, the translation goes through the following processes:

(i) Text extraction

The translation process begins with text extraction and formatting by a DTP specialist, with inquiries about untranslatable or unclear text.

(ii) Translation

Translations are handled by a certified translator.

(iii) First Review

The first review is conducted by a certified translator.
(iv) DTP & Formatting

DTP and formatting ensures the translated document mirrors the original.

(v) Final Review & Certificate of Translation

A final review is done by a certified translator with the relevant stamp applied. 

The translation is then recorded by the stamping organisation.

2.3 Can I submit a softcopy or photocopy of the Certified Translation to the British authorities?

Yes. Most British authorities accept Certified Translation in softcopy.

Resources:

[1] UK Government. (n.d.). Certifying a document. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/certifying-a-document.
[2] UK Government. (n.d.). Certifying a document. GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/certifying-a-document.
[3] Vol. 31, Halsbury’s Statutes of England and Wales (4th Edition), Butterworth & Co. (1987).
[4] Association of Translation Companies, Chartered Institute of Linguists, & Institute of Translation and Interpreting. (2024). Getting it right: Certified translation. https://atc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/ATC-CIOL-ITI-Getting-it-Right-Certified-Translation-2024.pdf.
[5] OIC Today. (n.d.). An interview with Sakri Bin Abdullah: Chief Executive Officer of ITBM. https://www.oictoday.biz/interview-details.php?id=517/an-interview-with-sakri-bin-abdullah-sakri-bin-abdullah.
[6] Section 4, the Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Act 1959 (Revised in 1978). https://lamanweb.dbp.gov.my/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Akta-213-Akta-Dewan-Bahasa-dan-Pustaka-Disemak-1973.pdf
[7] International Federation of Translators. (n.d.). Members directory: Malaysia. https://en.fit-ift.org/members-directory/?country=MY.
[8] UNESCO Archives. (n.d.). International Federation of Translators. https://atom.archives.unesco.org/international-federation-of-translators.
[9] Kuala Lumpur Court Complex. (n.d.). Practising certificates unit. https://kl.kehakiman.gov.my/en/practicing-certificates-unit
[10] Section 4, Notaries Public Act 1959.