A TOTAL of 1,856 children in Malaysia got married in 2018, of which about eight in 10 involved Muslims, said a Unicef report.

While this figure was a decline compared to the previous year, which recorded 2,107 child marriages, the report said at least 1,500 children are married annually in Malaysia.

The report, Unicef Advocacy Brief: Towards ending child marriage in Malaysia, also said 83% of child marriages in 2018 involved Muslims while 17% were non-Muslims.

Of the 1,856 children who got married, 1,372 were Muslim girls while Muslim boys accounted for 170.

The ethnic breakdown of the 1,372 Muslim girls was Bumiputera (1,314), Chinese (five), Indians (three) and others (50).

As for the 170 Muslims boys, they were made up of Bumiputera (166), Chinese (two) and others (two).

A total 293 non-Muslim girls were married in 2018 – Bumiputera (174), Chinese (92), Indians (17) and others (10), while for the 21 non-Muslim boys, their breakdown was Bumiputera (20) and Chinese (one).

Overall, Bumiputeras reported the highest number of child marriages with 1,674 (90.19%) while Indians were the least with 20 (1.08%).

In Malaysia, the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, which governs marriage among non-Muslims, puts the minimum age for marriage at 18.

Girls, however, can marry at 16 after obtaining a licence from their menteri besar or chief minister. Those under 16 are not allowed to get married.

The law also makes it compulsory for either party who has not reached the age of 21 to seek permission to marry from their parents.

Marriage among Muslims is governed by shariah law. The Islamic Family Law sets a minimum age of 18 for boys and 16 for girls. But those under the legal age can seek permission to marry from the shariah court.

Figures from the Shariah Judiciary Department from 2008 to June 2018 show that there were 11,424 Muslim child marriage applications.

The National Registration Department recorded 5,409 non-Muslim child marriages between 2008 and 2018. In the same period, the Sarawak Council for Native Customs and Traditions recorded 5,000 child marriages.

On October 20, 2019, former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad issued an order to all state governments to raise the legal marriageable age to 18 for both Muslims and non-Muslims.

This was following a revelation in July 2018 by then deputy women, family and community development minister Hannah Yeoh that 14,999 child marriages were recorded between 2007 and 2017, of which 10,000 were Muslims.

Malaysia is a signatory of the United Nations’ Conventions of the Rights of the Child and the convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

It is also committed to the Sustainable Development Goal 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, including eliminating harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage. – March 9, 2021.