Child marriage: No more excuses, member of Putrajaya’s reforms council tells authorities

Ambiga Sreenevasan responds to a report that the 41-year-old man who married an 11-year-old girl had been interested in her since she was seven.

Lawyer Ambiga Sreenevasan.

GEORGE TOWN: Lawyer-activist Ambiga Sreenevasan has stepped up the pressure on the government to enact laws banning child marriage following reports that the 41-year-old rubber tapper who made headlines for marrying an 11-year-old had been interested in her since she was seven.

The former Bar Council chairman said this was all the more reason for the child to be “rescued”, adding that the only way to prevent child marriage was to enact a federal law which would supersede state laws allowing minors to be married with permission.

“What kind of society are we if this 11-year-old is not our number one priority?

“She needs rescuing, not some wishy-washy reason why we cannot help her. Please act,” she said in a series of tweets to Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and minister in charge of Islamic affairs Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Yesterday, Berita Harian Online reported that the Kelantanese rubber tapper had revealed his intention of marrying the girl when she was seven years old.

Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid, who took the girl as his third wife last month, said he had spoken of his intention to his close friends while they were in Mecca. He added that most of his friends had given their blessing.

The father of four said he was merely trying to provide for the girl and to save her from her poor family, adding that there was no other agenda behind his marriage to the 11-year-old.

He also said most of his fellow villagers had accepted his marriage, and that it was only “outsiders” who were unhappy over the matter.

However, Ambiga said it was unacceptable for the 11-year-old to be subjected to marriage “just because her father is impoverished and she is vulnerable”.

“What is the point of having laws if we cannot protect her?”

Che Abdul was fined RM1,800 by the Gua Musang Shariah Court after pleading guilty to marrying a minor without prior consent from the shariah court and engaging in polygamy without permission from his spouse. -FMT