THE Women, Family and Community Development Ministry is coming up with standard guidelines for marriages involving minors.

The ministry’s political secretary Rodziah Ismail said the guidelines should be ready to be gazetted in two weeks.

She said the guidelines were necessary as it might be too easy for the underage marriage applicants to obtain the consent of the shariah court and the chief minister or menteri besar.

Rodziah said there were 1,000 applications for marriages involving minors in the last five years.

“That is not a small number? Why? Is it because the (existing) procedures make it too easy to marry underage?

“With a more (comprehensive) SOP, the children will have to go through tests on their health, wellbeing and education. 

“It is to ensure that they will be able to live normally as a family. It is all to protect the children,” she told reporters after paying a courtesy call to Penang Women’s exco Chong Eng.

She said once the guidelines were in place, all states must comply with them.

Rodziah’s comments follow the controversy of a 41-year-old man marrying a Thai Muslim girl aged 11 in Gua Musang, Kelantan. He is reported to have married her in southern Thailand.

The matter came to light after his second wife revealed the marriage on social media. The woman also lodged a police report. Another report was lodged by a non-governmental organisation.

Rodziah said there was still no documented evidence to prove that a marriage had taken place.

“Even if the wedding was overseas, by law they must register the marriage in Malaysia. There is no record so far.

“In a Muslim marriage, you need a wali and two witnesses, but you still have to register the marriage with the authorities.”

Rodziah said checks were being made with authorities in different parts of southern Thailand, and so far authorities in Narathiwat have said that no such marriage had taken place.

“There is no proof the marriage exists. We are still checking with Thailand. 

“Perhaps Mr Karim can furnish the proof,” she said, referring to Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid, the 41-year-old rubber tapper groom. – July 3, 2018.