A PROMINENT child activist has questioned police over its alleged lack of action in the case of the 11-year-old child bride who married a 41-year-old man in Kelantan.

Hartini Zainudin took to Twitter her voice her disappointment and questioned the police over what it had done since taking her statement.

“It’s been a week since the police took my statement; has the man and parents been questioned?

“Why hasn’t he been arrested? Is he out on bail?” she asked on her Twitter account, @tiniz, today. 

Hartini also questioned why no action had been taken under Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

Hartini, who is also a co-founder of crisis centre Yayasan Chow Kit, had lodged a police report on July 2 and had her statement recorded the following Sunday.

In her police report, Hartini had urged the police to investigate the man under Sections 12, 13 and 16 of the 2017 act.

She had also urged the police to investigate the girl’s parents under the Child Act 2001 for neglect. 

“This is how issues go away! The system forces you to forget. No protection. No accountability. Not this time!

“Do something more credible and assertive @drwanazizah @JKMHQ  @pdrm,” she said, tagging Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, the Social Welfare Department as well as the police.

She also urged the inspector-general of police to speed up the investigation process.

“Surely, the police wouldn’t want to be a complicit party to child marriage, claiming that he is the ‘big boss’.

“Really? I’m taking note. I’m holding all parties accountable,” she added. 

The Kelantanese man had married the girl in a ceremony in Thailand on June 18, without the consent of his first and second wives.

The girl and her parents had said the marriage was consensual. The man was fined RM1,800 by the Gua Musang Shariah Court for solemnising a marriage and polygamy without the court’s permission. – July 21, 2018.