Under-fire Wan Azizah reiterates opposition to child marriage

Updated 5 years ago · Published on 21 Sep 2018 10:57AM · 8 Comments

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, repeating her stance against child marriage, says children's best interest must always be taken into consideration. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 21, 2018.

THE Women, Family and Community Development Ministry has taken action to raise the minimum marriageable age and is working to get the Shariah Judiciary Department on its side, said Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today.

She reiterated her stand against child marriage, and clarified her recent statement on the marriage between a 15-year-old girl and a 44-year-old People’s Volunteer Corp member in Tumpat recently.

“I wish to reiterate that I am against child marriage, and do not condone it. The best interest of the child must always be considered.

“What I said was just a descriptive statement of what the child explained to my officers.

“As deputy prime minister and women, family and community development minister, I reiterate that we will raise the minimum age for marriage to 18 years,” she said in a statement.

Wan Azizah has been slammed for saying the 15-year-old girl had “consented” to the marriage.

She said she chaired a meeting on September 13 to discuss with stakeholders the draft of the law to raise the minimum marriageable age.

She said a paper on the matter, to be prepared by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department and her ministry, will be presented to menteris besar and chief ministers at their annual meeting.

Islamic matters fall under the purview of each state’s sultan or ruler.

Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa says SOPs approved at the Shariah Judges' Conference two months ago state that poverty cannot be used as a reason to allow for underage marriage. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 21, 2018.

Wan Azizah said she wants other states to follow Selangor’s move to raise the minimum marriageable age to 18 for Muslims.

She said a cabinet paper is being prepared on raising the minimum marriageable age to 18 for non-Muslims, too, adding that in the case of customary marriage, “the respective customary heads will be informed of the dangers that underage marriage poses to the health and safety of children, and why a minimum age is so important”.

“Amending the law takes time.”

She said in her upcoming meeting with Shariah Judiciary Department officials, she will emphasise the need for judges to consider risk factors, such as those related to pregnancy and childbirth at a young age, before approving unions involving children.

She added that she has spoken with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, who is in charge of religious affairs, and Liew Vui Keong, the de facto law minister, about “looking at the loopholes in and inconsistencies between shariah and civil laws, in relation to child marriage”.

“I have also instructed my officers to examine the current laws to ensure that children’s welfare is taken care of. The protection and rights of children are of paramount importance to me, and I will not compromise on the matter.”

Wan Azizah said amending the law is only part of the solution, and a holistic approach that includes education, welfare nets, poverty eradication and support systems must be considered.

The case of the 15-year-old girl follows that of an 11-year-old from Thailand, who wed a 41-year-old Kelantanese man in June.

It was reported that the parents of both children consented to their marriages as they saw it as their daughters’ way out of poverty.

Mujahid yesterday said standard operating procedures approved at the Shariah Judges’ Conference two months ago state that poverty cannot be used as a reason to allow for underage marriage. – September 21, 2018.

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Comments

  • Bloody useless minister. Wan Azizah should stepped aside for someone else who can do a better job as a family minister.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • Sleepy face make it clear 18 or 15 Make a decision n be firm like a good responsible minister

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • Useless MINISTER. A disgrace to woman leaders.

    Posted 5 years ago by HI HI · Reply

  • As a minister, how can she just simply accept her officers explanation on the parents situation instead of the childs interest? If the family is indeed in need of financial help, then her ministry should help or do a crowd funding - I have no doubt many of us would have contribute instead of the parents consenting to give away the child. What a bloody lame excuse from Wan Azizah.

    Posted 5 years ago by Rupert Lum · Reply

  • DSAI n FAMILY WANTS TO TAKE OVER MALAYSIA POLITICS. Bad Sign for Malaysia

    Posted 5 years ago by Tharan Singh · Reply

  • useless, seat warming Minister..

    Posted 5 years ago by The Lone Ranger ... · Reply

  • Will she allow her grandchildren to marry at that age?

    Posted 5 years ago by HI HI · Reply

  • Wan Azizah is culeless in solving this issue, she should resign and let some one else do the job!

    Posted 5 years ago by Sweesing lee · Reply