THE Attorney-General’s Chambers is studying a proposal to raise the marriageable age for Muslims from 16 to 18, said Tommy Thomas.

The attorney-general said the government was also looking at setting more stringent conditions for the shariah court to impose on underage marriage applicants. 

“These are among the proposals the Attorney-General’s Chambers is evaluating on how best to safeguard the welfare and interest of children,” he said, at the opening of the legal year in Putrajaya today.

The AGC has engaged with the federal and state governments on standardising the law on the legal age for marriage as well as on amending the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984.

Thomas said the government was also taking the lead in efforts to implement restorative justice in the legal system to deal with juvenile offenders.

“The programme aims to divert children under the age of 18 who have committed criminal offences away from the existing criminal justice system and promote children’s rehabilitation.”

Under this system, juveniles will be given a stern warning before they are handed over to the Social Welfare Department for counselling, mentoring, education and to engage in community work.

“This in line with Article 40 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”

Thomas added that sentencing children to prison could turn a misguided juvenile into a worse criminal and must thus be avoided.

The programme commenced last month in Sepang and Seremban. – January 10, 2020.