A PROMINENT child activist has come out fighting against the 41-year-old Kelantan man who took a 11-year-old bride, alleging that he had been grooming her with the intent of sexual abuse.

Hartini Zainudin, co-founder of crisis centre Yayasan Chow Kit, also took the girl’s parents to task for neglecting her and putting her in harm’s way.

She lodged a police report on July 2 and was called in today to have her statement recorded.

Hartini pointed to media reports that the man had befriended the girl since she was seven years old.

“He had likely breached provisions of sexual offences against the Thai national by befriending her for years with the ultimate intent of sexual abuse.

“He had his eye on her for years since she was seven. Apparently, the media reported that he has been getting close to her since she was nine.

“They were married by the time she was 11, at which time she declared that she loves him. What was going on between seven and 11 years of age that resulted in this? Grooming is clearly the intention.

“He was grooming a child with the end goal of committing sexual acts on her,” Hartini told The Malaysian Insight.

The 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 claim the marriage is consensual.

Police has previously said they would only investigate the man if there were criminal elements involved.

The man was fined RM1,800 last week by the Gua Musang shariah court for solemnising a marriage and polygamy without obtaining the court’s permission.

Hartini said the fine was not enough and that criminal charges should be filed.

In her police report, Hartini, who is also the vice-president of Voice of Children, urged the police to investigate the man under Sections 12, 13, and 16 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.

The provisions forbid child grooming and meeting following child grooming, and punishes people who are in a relationship of trust with a child.

Penalties for those found guilty for all three provisions are prison sentences of up to 15 years and no less than two strokes of the cane.

Hartini also wanted police to investigate the girl’s parents under the Child Act 2001 for neglect and for allowing the child to be put in harm’s way.

“This case is reflective of many, many cases. We seem as a nation to be outraged, but are apparently not outraged enough to take action.”

“We say we have all these laws that are great, but we do very little to protect children,” she said, adding that “complacency and apathy” by policymakers was also much to be blamed.

“This is not about religion. We are not offending a religion. This is about a sexual offence against a child.

“She’s supposed to be in school. She’s supposed to be a child. And a 41-year-old man took advantage of her. It’s outrageous.” – July 15, 2018.