Can the groom begin with ‘Marry me…’ before the wali says the ijab?

In the Shafi'i madhhab, the akad is still valid if the groom asks first and the wali then answers with words of giving in marriage. For example, the groom says ‘Marry me to your daughter,’ and the wali replies ‘I marry you to my daughter…’. The wali's words are enough as the ijab that completes the akad. In Malaysia, however, officiants normally use the order of ijab by the wali and qabul by the groom. This usual order is clearer to the witnesses and makes registration easier. Follow the order your marriage officiant sets. See Conditions of the akad.