The legalisation of Child Marriage in Malaysia

The Legalisation of Child Marriage in Malaysia

Child marriage is a marriage of a girl or boy that ages under 18 and refers to both formal marriage and informal unions in which children under age 18 live with a partner as married (Unicef, 2017). Child marriage might affects both gender but most of the time it affects girls especially in Southeast Asia.

According to the Department of Shariah Judiciary Malaysia (JKSM), the statistic of muslim child marriage applications dropped to 461 in 2018 from 1192 in 2013. But this case does not stops and buried there. It continues to gain more of child marriage in Malaysia. 

In Malaysia, Mujahid tried to push for all states to ban child marriage but it fails as there are 7 states who refuse to ban child marriage and it has given Putrajaya a weight to convince Islamic authorities to banned the case. Following revelation that seven states have refused to amend its law on the issue, Children’s Commissioner Datuk Aziah Mohd Awal said that Putrajaya can legislate so states raise the marriage floor age to 18 years old, but it would only apply to non-muslims (Jerry Chong, 2019). According to Ambiga Sreenevasan, she has read the concern statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, it is hoped that the government’s efforts to address the issue of child marriage holistically will soon bear fruit.

 “They face more risk of experiencing dangerous complications in pregnancy and childbirth, contracting HIV/AIDS and suffering domestic violence. With little access to education and economic opportunities, they and their families are more likely to live in poverty” said the coalition.

Ambiga continues with the government must also address the root causes which include education and poverty and also societal norms regarding girls’ sexuality and virginity. 

Another reason of why child marriage happened in Malaysia is because due to teenagers becoming pregnant and the young couple marrying to avoid the baby being declaired illegitimate, which legal consequences in relation to inheritance rights (Ambiga, 2019).

According to the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Mujahid Yusof Rawa, one way for the federal government to push through the ban on child marriage is to bring it up with the Conference of Rulers. He said, the government can also try to convince the states  to ban child marriages through the National Islamic Affairs Council which met thrice a year (Opalyn Mok, 2019) 

In conclusion, child marriage gives a negative view towards Islam and should not be practiced by any religion as it will affect on the child and their future. In my opinion, child marriage should be banned in Malaysia as it will cause a lot of damages towards the child in terms of education, self and also poverty.

REFERENCES

“Child Marriage.” UNICEF South Asia, https://www.unicef.org/rosa/what-we-do/child-protection/child-marriage.

Malay Mail. “Muslim Child Marriages Declining in Malaysia, Stats Show: Malay Mail.” Malaysia | Malay Mail, Malay Mail, 20 July 2018, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2018/07/20/muslim-child-marriages-declining-in-malaysia-stats-show/1654107.

Malay Mail. “With Seven States Refusing Child Marriage Ban, Onus on Putrajaya to Convince Islamic Authorities: Malay Mail.” Malaysia | Malay Mail, Malay Mail, 22 Nov. 2019, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/11/22/with-seven-states-refusing-child-marriage-ban-onus-on-putrajaya-to-convince/1812193.

Malay Mail. “Mujahid: To Push for All States to Ban Child Marriage, Putrajaya to Seek Malay Rulers' Decree: Malay Mail.” Malaysia | Malay Mail, Malay uMail, 20 Nov. 2019, https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2019/11/20/mujahid-to-push-for-all-states-to-ban-child-marriage-putrajaya-to-seek-mala/1811691.

Sreenevasan, Ambiga. “Child Brides Are Not Ready to Become Wives, Mothers.” Malaysiakini, Malaysiakini, 21 Nov. 2019, https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/500755.