1 in 5 divorces due to husbands’ infidelity

Chan Kok Leong Chan Kok Leong Updated 7 years ago · Published on 13 Nov 2018 12:16PM · 2 Comments

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh says more than 1 in 5 divorces involving marriages under 5 years were due to the husbands' infidelity. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, November 13, 2018.

MORE than one-fifth of divorced women blamed their ex-husbands’ infidelity as the cause for their separation, said the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.

“Other reasons cited by the women in their divorce petitions (under five years’ of marriage) were misunderstandings (38%) and irresponsible husbands (15.2%),” Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh told Dewan Rakyat today.

For the husbands, more than half said the divorce was caused by misunderstanding (56.2%), wife’s infidelity (11.8%) and difficult in-laws (10%).

“According to the survey conducted by the ministry in 2014, more than one-third of divorces or separation cases involved marriages under five years,” said Yeoh.

Yeoh was responding to Noor Amin Ahmad’s (Kangar-PH) question on the statistics divorces involving marriages under five years and the reasons behind them.

Meanwhile, Johor recorded the highest number of non-Muslim divorces under five years’ of marriage between 2013-2017.

“Between 2013-2017, Johor had 2,860 divorces among non-Muslims out of a total of 14,440 cases,” said Yeoh.

Johor was followed by FT Kuala Lumpur (2,721), Selangor (1,858), Penang (1,529), Sarawak (1,499) and Perak (1,456).

“In the Federal Territories (Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya), there were 2,932 Muslim divorces for marriages under five years,” said Yeoh.

She said that the ministry was still tabulating the Muslim divorce statistics from other states and could not provide the information for now.

To arrest the problem, Yeoh said the ministry was studying the possibility of having pre-marriage counselling for non-Muslims who want to marry.

Currently, Muslims who want to marry have to undergo a pre-marriage counselling session. – November 13, 2018.

Sign up or sign in here to comment.

Comments

  • Let's be precise!! I notice the write up masked the intensity of divorce rate in Malay race by placing the statement "Between 2013-2017, Johor had 2,860 divorces among non-Muslims out of a total of 14,440 cases, said Yeoh". Why down play the high divorce in the Malay race in Malaysia. There is a big major concern here and hiding it will not slove or push it away but instead it could escalte and affects the welfare of every Malaysians. Dwell into the roots of why is it so. It is a crying shame that so much of emphasis are being place on their religion and obligations right from the primary schools till to adulthood and yet an explosive divorce rates !!!!!!!!!!!!! Why is it so ?????? Infidelity is rampant and basically in lay man terms there is no morality !!!!!!!!!!. Is the religious teaching out of wacked of which I tend to believe so, due to it being severely politicaly inclined and the loss of emphasis on morality teaching that has been overided in schools by religious might. Get a grip !!!! . Nothing sensitive and not about religion bashing BUT it is just plain morality not in place to teach them young and where religious might has not done its job.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • It sounds like the Wild West! There must be clear admissible reasons such as unreasonable behaviour (defined) infidelity, taking other wives, domestic abuse, neglecting to support the family financially. Divorce should provide for half of all property and EPF funds to go to each spouse and alimony to wife and children regulated so that it is paid. Non payment will be punished by salary or asset impoundment without need for a court case. Family court to regulate payments are made.

    Posted 7 years ago by Malaysia New hope · Reply