After four years together, a couple’s marriage plans have been complicated by an alleged RM50,000 dowry demand from the girlfriend’s father.
A MALAYSIAN man has initiated discussion online after sharing his struggle to gain the approval of his girlfriend’s father, who allegedly demanded RM50,000 as a bride price before agreeing to their marriage.
The 31-year-old, who said he has been in a relationship with his girlfriend for four years, claimed that despite their mutual desire to get married, he has faced persistent resistance from her father.
In an anonymous submission to a Facebook page, he described feeling unwelcome from the very beginning of the relationship.
“To be honest, I feel like her father has disliked me since the first time we met,” he wrote.
The man recalled that his first meeting with his girlfriend’s family did not go according to plan after a punctured tyre delayed his journey to Seremban and caused him to arrive nearly an hour late for dinner.
Although he apologised and explained the situation, he later learned that his future father-in-law allegedly viewed the incident as a sign that he was unreliable.
According to the man, the negative impression never faded despite years of effort to build a better relationship.
“I bought festive hampers during celebrations. I bought gifts for birthdays. Whenever there was something that needed doing, I would volunteer to help,” he said.
However, as discussions about marriage became more serious, he claimed that his girlfriend’s father demanded RM50,000 in dowry, leaving both him and his partner stunned.
“My family isn’t wealthy. Both my parents are ordinary working people. Everything I have, I’ve built on my own,” he wrote.
He added that the financial demand itself may not be the real issue.
“The strangest thing is that I’m starting to feel that the RM50,000 isn’t actually the main issue. The real issue is that he simply doesn’t want me to marry his daughter,” he said.
The man further alleged that whenever marriage was discussed, his future father-in-law would criticise aspects of his life, including his career prospects and the uncertain economic climate.
Despite repeated attempts by his girlfriend to defend him, he claimed her father remained unwilling to change his opinion.
The situation reached a breaking point when the father allegedly told him not to rush into marriage if he could not afford the requested amount.
“Hearing that really hurt because I’ve spent years working hard. It’s not that I don’t want to give her a good life. I just can’t become rich overnight,” he said.
The emotional post resonated with many social media users, who debated whether the demand was a genuine financial expectation or a sign of deeper disapproval towards the relationship.
Others sympathised with the man’s situation, noting that parental approval remains an important factor in many relationships but can become a source of strain when expectations appear difficult to meet.
