Syariah courts to get 'temporary' child marriage SOP, says Mujahid

PARLIAMENT | The government is drafting a standard operating procedure (SOP) for syariah courts to tighten provisions for child marriage, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa today.

Calling it a “short-term measure”, the de facto religion minister said the government intends to eventually ban child marriage.

“We are coming up with an SOP to tighten up (the procedure) because as long as there is a provision (in law for child marriage) … you have to respect that.

“This is just (a) temporary measure, the long term is very important. We should come to a point where child marriage is banned,” he told the press at the Parliament lobby this morning.

Mujahid clarified that the SOP would only be for the Syariah Court, and is expected to be presented to him for a first look at the end of this month.

Syariah law allows girls under 16 and boys under 18 to marry. State syariah enactments stipulate that syariah judges must personally interview younger applicants to access their preparedness for marriage.

For non-Muslim girls aged 16 and above but under 18 seeking to marry, they must obtain a special marriage licence granted by the state’s chief minister or menteri besar.

[More to follow] 

- Mkini