Insufficient evidence for Kelantan child bride case? Here’s four, say women’s groups

© Provided by Malay Mail A coalition of women’s groups insisted today that there are already sufficient public evidence to prosecute the 41-year-old Kelantanese man who married an 11-year-old girl, following Putrajaya’s call for deliberation.

PETALING JAYA, Aug 1 — A coalition of women’s groups insisted today that there are already sufficient public evidence to prosecute the 41-year-old Kelantanese man who married an 11-year-old girl, following Putrajaya’s call for deliberation.

Highlighting a lack of political will to take action against the man and protect the child bride, the Joint Action Group for Gender Equality (JAG) provided today four of such evidences.

“The Kelantanese man himself has publicly confessed that he had planned to marry the girl since she was seven years old. This clearly points to child sexual grooming which is an offence under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act (SOAC) 2017,” it said in a statement.

“The ‘marriage’ does not fulfil the Kelantanese Islamic Family Law Enactment 2002 Section 23 which, as required by Shariah Law. The second wife of the man has publicly shared that the man has not been able to provide for their family, and has unfairly favoured his third ‘wife’ over his previous wives.”

Moreover, JAG pointed that the marriage certificate produced by the Thai authorities have been found to be fake and the child marriages violate the Convention on the Elimination of All Form of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

“Swift action must be taken to ensure that further manipulation does not happen to validate the marriage,” it said.

JAG also urged authorities to act on the police reports already made by the second wife.

“JAG demands that due to the severity of the allegations, the 11-year-old girl must be immediately separated from the man as he poses a physical and emotional threat to her. Regardless of her nationality, we must act in the child’s best interest in all steps of this case,” it said.

The JAG is a coalition 13 women’s rights organisations in Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, and Sarawak. The statement today was endorsed by eight of its members.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the case is currently being reviewed by the Attorney General Chambers (AGC) to ensure a “water-tight case” to be a precedent, as it is a complex one involving different parties.

Separately, MCA vice-president Datin Chew Mei Fun also pointed today out that there was enough evidence to prosecute the groom, including his own public self-confession of lusting for the girl since she was 7-years old among others.

“He was fined by the Gua Musang Lower Shariah Court for solemnising a marriage and polygamy without obtaining the court’s permission,’’ said Chew, citing further that under the Penal Code, consent by a child is not the same as consent by an adult.

Chew also pointed out that the husband did not dispute a report by the New York Timesthat he has “brought the child to a hill retreat for a holiday” which suggests he has cohabitated with the minor.

“How many adult males bring an 11-year-old girl alone to the hillside for a holiday when they are not related by blood at all?’’ she said.

Chew added that Dr Wan Azizah’s supposed reluctance to take action against the man could risk angering the public more.

“These hesitance to pursue the case cause unease among outraged Malaysians as to why public and child interests are not safeguarded but instead left susceptible to further child grooming and inappropriate bodily touches by perverts,’’ she said.