DAP rep wants Penang to raise age of consent to deter child marriage

PENANG DUN | A DAP lawmaker has proposed that Penang raise the age of consent from 16 to 18 to deter underage marriages.

In her maiden speech at the Penang Legislative Assembly, Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Harapan-Seri Delima) said the change should be made under the state’s Islamic laws.

"There should be no compromise on child marriages, no buts or ifs.

"Penang should lead the way in protecting young girls from being married off,” she added during the debate on the governor’s address.

Syerleena also condemned Tasek Gelugor MP Shabudin Yahaya's controversial remarkfrom last year on victims marrying their rapists.

State opposition leader Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Nor (BN-Sungai Dua) took issue with her suggestion, however.

"In Islam, akil baligh or pubescence is the requisite for a girl to get married."

He also backed Shabudin, saying that the MP made the remark so that the girl could “avoid embarrassment,” especially in kampung areas where most people “knew each other.”

"Not every rape case see a girl married to her rapist," he said.

Yusoff also pointed out that in the past, underage marriages were common in the Malay community.

"My own mother married when she was 16, and other races got married earlier, too, but the trend is no longer there."

'Statutory rape'

Satees Muniandy (Harapan-Bagan Dalam) then said that underage marriage could also be found among Chinese, Indian and East Malaysian communities, but stressed that marrying someone under the age of consent is statutory rape.

"When will Penang do it? Selangor has already proposed to raise the age of consent for Muslims marriages from 16 to 18," he asked.

Yusoff replied that the matter should be decided by the authorities.

Calls to increase the marriageable age followed a 41-year-old man in Gua Musang taking an 11 year-old girl as his third wife.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was criticised thereafter for skirting around the issue, but eventually issued a statement saying that the government was against underage marriage. -Mkini