Malaysians outraged over reports of child marriage
Reuters Staff
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Reports of marriage between a 11-year old girl and a man 30 years her senior sparked an uproar in Malaysia on Saturday, reigniting debate on the subject of underage marriage in the Muslim majority country.
The Malaysian government confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday, but added there were no records in the courts or the regional religious office that permitted this marriage.
If there was no written permission from the sharia court then the marriage would be unlawful, it said.
“The ministry looks seriously upon underage marriage... The ministry wants to discuss and cooperate with religious councils to examine and tighten laws so it can eradicate the issue of underage marriage,” said a statement from the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development.
A task force has been formed comprising state religious councils, government agencies and activists to cooperate and examine the issue, the ministry added.
The girl, believed to be a citizen of Thailand, married the 41-year-old man who already has two wives and six children aged between five and 18, according to local media reports.
In Malaysia, the legal minimum age for marriage under civil law for both genders is 18. However, girls can marry at 16 with the permission of their state’s chief minister, while Islamic law sets a 16-year minimum age for girls and allows even earlier marriages with the permission of the sharia court.
Last year, Malaysia passed a law on sexual offences against children but did not criminalize child marriage.
Last week, the country hosted a “Girls not Brides” conference in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur on ending child marriage.
The United Nations children’s agency UNICEF said it was outraged by the reports.
“If true, it is shocking and unacceptable. It is not in the best interest of the child,” said Marianne Clark-Hattingh, UNICEF’s representative in Malaysia, in a statement.
“It is a violation of her rights. Law reform to set the legal age for marriage at 18 without exception should be one of the priorities of the new Parliament.”
Malaysians also took to social media to express their outrage.
“By allowing this man to marry her, we just robbed this girl of her childhood. We must end child marriage. If true, this is grotesque,” read a Twitter post by user @faizalhamssin, echoing scores of other posts.
Malaysia’s English language newspaper, The Star, reported in 2016 that there were over 9,000 child marriages recorded over the previous five years.
‘I’m just 11 and you’re 41, but I’ll wait for you’
FMT Reporters | June 30, 2018
Amid public outrage, parents of a 11-year-old girl defend decision to allow their daughter's marriage to a 41-year-old man.
There is public outrage over this picture of a girl in a marriage ceremony with a man three times her age. (Facebook pic)
GUA MUSANG: The 11-year-old girl whose marriage to a 41-year-old rubber tapper from Kelantan sparked public outrage said she loved the man and was happy to marry him.
In an interview with Bernama, Masaryu Mat Rashid said she was willing to wait five years, the length of time the man said he would wait before they stay together as husband and wife.
Masaryu even said being the third wife of the man was not a problem, adding that her parents had consented to the arrangement.
“I accept whatever decision my parents and husband have made, to wait five years before we can live together because I realise that I am only 11 years old,” she said.
A photograph of their marriage ceremony, posted online, sparked outrage among Malaysians on social media, renewing a debate on underage marriage.
But Masaryu’s father, who is just eight years older than his daughter’s “husband”, is not perturbed.
He told Bernama that he knew well the man who lived in Kampung Lalang, Kuala Betis, Gua Musang.
He said the man often sold scrap rubber to him.
“He has promised me that he would register the marriage with the Islamic Affairs Department in Kelantan when Masaryu turns 16,” said Mat Rashid Rimadsa, a Thai citizen who lives in Gua Musang.
“At the moment, Masaryu is staying with me,” he said.
Despite the controversy, the Kelantan Islamic Affairs Department said it had not received any complaints about the marriage.
But its director Che Mohd Rahim Jusoh told Bernama that the girl’s marriage would be investigated as it must get permission of the shariah court.
“The law only allows a woman who is 18 years and older to marry without requiring the consent of the shariah court,” he said.
‘Nikah gantung’
Mat Rashid and his family, who are all Thai citizens work as rubber tappers.
He said one week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the man, who buys scrap rubber from villagers, asked his permission to marry the girl.
“I told him that my daughter was not old enough to be a wife as she was only 11 years old, but the man persisted and promised to ‘nikah gantung’, so I agreed,” he said.
“Nikah gantung” is practised by some Malays, where a marriage is only consumated after a period of time.
Rashid said he and wife Aminah Hitam accompanied their daughter to Sungai Golok, Thailand, to witness her marriage to the man.
“The man was willing to marry my daughter because he wanted to help me as I am poor and depend on the income I get tapping rubber,” he said.
FMT Reporters | June 30, 2018
Amid public outrage, parents of a 11-year-old girl defend decision to allow their daughter's marriage to a 41-year-old man.
There is public outrage over this picture of a girl in a marriage ceremony with a man three times her age. (Facebook pic)
GUA MUSANG: The 11-year-old girl whose marriage to a 41-year-old rubber tapper from Kelantan sparked public outrage said she loved the man and was happy to marry him.
In an interview with Bernama, Masaryu Mat Rashid said she was willing to wait five years, the length of time the man said he would wait before they stay together as husband and wife.
Masaryu even said being the third wife of the man was not a problem, adding that her parents had consented to the arrangement.
“I accept whatever decision my parents and husband have made, to wait five years before we can live together because I realise that I am only 11 years old,” she said.
A photograph of their marriage ceremony, posted online, sparked outrage among Malaysians on social media, renewing a debate on underage marriage.
But Masaryu’s father, who is just eight years older than his daughter’s “husband”, is not perturbed.
He told Bernama that he knew well the man who lived in Kampung Lalang, Kuala Betis, Gua Musang.
He said the man often sold scrap rubber to him.
“He has promised me that he would register the marriage with the Islamic Affairs Department in Kelantan when Masaryu turns 16,” said Mat Rashid Rimadsa, a Thai citizen who lives in Gua Musang.
“At the moment, Masaryu is staying with me,” he said.
Despite the controversy, the Kelantan Islamic Affairs Department said it had not received any complaints about the marriage.
But its director Che Mohd Rahim Jusoh told Bernama that the girl’s marriage would be investigated as it must get permission of the shariah court.
“The law only allows a woman who is 18 years and older to marry without requiring the consent of the shariah court,” he said.
‘Nikah gantung’
Mat Rashid and his family, who are all Thai citizens work as rubber tappers.
He said one week before Hari Raya Aidilfitri, the man, who buys scrap rubber from villagers, asked his permission to marry the girl.
“I told him that my daughter was not old enough to be a wife as she was only 11 years old, but the man persisted and promised to ‘nikah gantung’, so I agreed,” he said.
“Nikah gantung” is practised by some Malays, where a marriage is only consumated after a period of time.
Rashid said he and wife Aminah Hitam accompanied their daughter to Sungai Golok, Thailand, to witness her marriage to the man.
“The man was willing to marry my daughter because he wanted to help me as I am poor and depend on the income I get tapping rubber,” he said.
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