Star Online - Malaysia to allow child marriages to go on, but tighter enforcement:
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have you played 'mimi-masak' (house domestic) as a kid? But she (girl above) is a child bride |
KUALA LUMPUR: Laws to better protect the interest of those involved in child marriages will be tabled in Parliament by the middle of next year, says Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail.
The amendments will cover both civil and Islamic marriages and make it a requirement for reports from relevant agencies to be submitted before such marriages are allowed.
“For non-Muslim marriages, Cabinet papers to amend the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 will tabled in Cabinet in 2019.
“The amendments, among others, will include the requirements that social, health and police reports are submitted for application for underage marriages, which comes under the purview of the Home Ministry,” she said when replying to a question raised by Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) in Parliament on Thursday (Nov 15).
At present, she said the government had tightened approval for underage marriages whose procedures are governed by the Home Ministry, Syariah and customary courts.
She said the Syariah Judiciary Department's standard operating procedure (SOP) on Muslim underage marriage was issued to Syariah courts nationwide on July 23.
“Under the SOP, the state Welfare Department and Health Department, and state police, must submit a social, health and police report if a Syariah judge finds it necessary for consideration in an application for an underage marriage,” she added.
Dr Wan Azizah said the reports would contain information on the applicant's background, income, social status, and education level.
“This will help the Syariah judge in coming to a decision that will protect those involved in underage marriages,” she said.
The amendments will cover both civil and Islamic marriages and make it a requirement for reports from relevant agencies to be submitted before such marriages are allowed.
“For non-Muslim marriages, Cabinet papers to amend the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 will tabled in Cabinet in 2019.
“The amendments, among others, will include the requirements that social, health and police reports are submitted for application for underage marriages, which comes under the purview of the Home Ministry,” she said when replying to a question raised by Khairy Jamaluddin (BN-Rembau) in Parliament on Thursday (Nov 15).
At present, she said the government had tightened approval for underage marriages whose procedures are governed by the Home Ministry, Syariah and customary courts.
She said the Syariah Judiciary Department's standard operating procedure (SOP) on Muslim underage marriage was issued to Syariah courts nationwide on July 23.
“Under the SOP, the state Welfare Department and Health Department, and state police, must submit a social, health and police report if a Syariah judge finds it necessary for consideration in an application for an underage marriage,” she added.
Dr Wan Azizah said the reports would contain information on the applicant's background, income, social status, and education level.
“This will help the Syariah judge in coming to a decision that will protect those involved in underage marriages,” she said.
Although the Federal Government has proposed that the minimum marrieagable age be fixed at 18, Dr Wan Azizah said that so far, only Selangor had done so, two months ago.
She added that Melaka, Penang, Kedah, Johor and Sabah had indicated their intention to raise the minimum marriageable age to 18.
To a question by William Leong (PH-Selayang), Dr Wan Azizah told lawmakers that the marriageable age in Britain, Canada and Australia was 16, while there was no minimum age for certain states in the United States.
Child marriage became a national issue in July after it was reported that a 41-year-old man in Gua Musang, Kelantan, had taken an 11-year-old girl as his third wife.
She added that Melaka, Penang, Kedah, Johor and Sabah had indicated their intention to raise the minimum marriageable age to 18.
To a question by William Leong (PH-Selayang), Dr Wan Azizah told lawmakers that the marriageable age in Britain, Canada and Australia was 16, while there was no minimum age for certain states in the United States.
Child marriage became a national issue in July after it was reported that a 41-year-old man in Gua Musang, Kelantan, had taken an 11-year-old girl as his third wife.
There were also reports of another marriage in Tumpat, Kelantan, where a 15-year-old girl married a man nearly 30 years older than her.
On Tuesday (Nov 13), a group of civil society activists and school students staged a peaceful demonstration in front of Parliament to urge the government to ban child marriages.
On Tuesday (Nov 13), a group of civil society activists and school students staged a peaceful demonstration in front of Parliament to urge the government to ban child marriages.
In the US state of Massachusetts - home of Harvard University, mind you, not some hillbilly state -
ReplyDeleteno marriages below 15 are allowed, but those ages 16 and 17 must have parental consent and a judge's consent. A report from the Department of Social Services is required.
Not that far different from what Wan Azizah is proposing.
I think the law needs to allow some flexibility, with formal checks and balances against predators , instead of a blind 1-size fits all rule.
A child marriage does not automatically mean a predator or paedophile is involved.
There are cases of 16 or 17-year-old youngsters who get into "trouble" and while not an ideal solution, marriage is not a path that should be declared downright illegal.
The alternatives such as abortion (illegal in Malaysia), dumping the baby (highly illegal and highly objectionable) and giving up the baby (emotionally traumatic) , many people would regards as unacceptable.
what I had in mind about 'child marriages' are not 16 or 17 years old but 11 year old (or thereabout) lil' sweeties
DeleteFinally we are seeing some steps being taken to prevent Paedophiles from taking advantage of religion or cultural custom to pursue their wicked animalistic desires.
ReplyDeleteNow as to FGM (Female Genitalia Mutilation) which is not a religious practice but customary one dating back to the past centuries practiced by self professed sexual maniacs in tribes, it should posed not a problem to totally ban such practices which denigrates women as sexual objects.
FGM just like Foot Binding, Long Neck Rings (Unproven Medically) customs are a form of Male egoistic sexual perceptions (unproven medically)forced upon womenfolk either to make them less sexually active or more sexually attractive according to the custom practiced at that time.
Now, what about circumcision of Males? Is it a religious or turned religious from a cultural practice?
circumcision started with the ancient Egyptians (NOT Arabs, NOT Macedonians), then Hebrews/Israelites/Jews, then Arab Muslims
DeleteWhy did the Egyptians do it? Then only royalty circumcised.
Why did the Hebrew do it? According to their Bible (starting with Abraham), it was due to their covenant with their god
Why did the Muslims do it? They were told by Prophet Mohamad pbuh (tho' I suspect they followed then-Judean practice)
Female Genital Mutilation is one of the most emotive issues relating to "Clash of Civilisations" between Islamic societies and Western Liberals.
DeleteMany Europeans countries outlaw the practice, and a ban is proposed in the UK. However, their fast breeding and fast growing Islamist immigrant communities insist it is their right to maintain their traditions.
It is a cultural more rather than Islam itself.
Anyone support Death Penalty for sex with 11-year old boys and girls? Repulsive enough? Feel strongly enough?
ReplyDeleteI will support that the offender should be 'sula' (impalement) sampai mati.
Delete[Hukum Sula, iaitu menekan galah panjang yang tajam ke lubang dubur pesalah utk mendatangkan sakit yang amat terlebih dahulu, hingga galah tersebut keluar melalui mulut pesalah hingga menyebabkan kematian. Kemudian galah tersebut dipacakkan kedlm lubang hingga galah tersebut tegak bersama pesalah yg tersiksa hingga mati.] Ya, barbaric? So be it.
By the way my kids were 'khitan' for female and 'khatan' for male when they were about a week's old. It was done by the doctor at the hospital there were borned. There is no FGM practice in Malaysia.
https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/452137
ReplyDeleteNow UMNO faces a by-election. A first in an incumbent UMNO seat since GE14, and a Malay majority area.
Will be an interesting test of PH vs UMNO in an UMNO area.
To me , the court acted rightly.
Preventing an intending candidate from entering the nomination center on the pretext of not having a pass smacks of intentional interference by the previous EC.
https://m.malaysiakini.com/news/452136
ReplyDeleteAustralian Treasurer calls Mahathir a bigot over his condemnation of Aus movement of their Israel embassy....
Wakaka...