Kedah polygamy rule a gift to dishonest men, says SIS

'The state is encouraging dishonesty and injustice to first wives.'

PETALING JAYA: Sisters in Islam (SIS) has accused the Kedah government of indifference to the demands of natural justice with its decision to ease the legalisation of second and subsequent marriages that are solemnised outside the country without the consent of senior wives.

SIS executive director Rozana Isa said Kedah was giving the message that a man would not be committing a serious offence if he took a second, third or fourth wife without the permission of the wife or wives he had married earlier.

“Sisters in Islam views the decision to reduce the penalty and allow registration without the consent of the first wife as easing the practice of polygamy for men and encouraging dishonesty and injustice towards the first wife,” she said.

The Kedah government recently announced that it would introduce a programme to legalise unregistered Muslim marriages done outside the country.

The programme, expected to start next month, would see such marriages legalised even if the men were already married to other women.

Kedah religious affairs committee chairman Mohd Rawi Abdul Hamid was reported to have said the state would inform the first wives if their husbands married again outside the country, but their consent or approval would not be needed for the marriages to be legalised.

Rawi also said the state was working on reducing the fine for men who fail to register such marriages from the current RM3,000 to between RM300 and RM400.

Rozana said the measures would protect only the interests of the man and his new wife.

“SIS urges the Kedah state government to take a serious view of polygamous marriages, especially those taking place outside Malaysia,” she told FMT, adding that the fine should not be reduced.

She said the state should instead impose harsher penalties on husbands who fail to fulfil the requirements of all their wives.

Yesterday, PKR Wanita chief Zuraida Kamaruddin, saying she was speaking for Pakatan Harapan, called on Kedah to rethink its decision.

She said the state needed to be reminded of the processes of shariah law pertaining to polygamous marriages.

One of the provisions under state enactments requires a judge to decide whether a man contemplating a second marriage would be able to provide financial support and care for both wives and their children.

“Pakatan Harapan women reject this legalisation programme,” Zuraida said.

Rawi said Kedah’s objective was to protect the future of subsequent wives and children.

Giving an example, he said: “We want them to have valid marriage certificates so that their children will not become victims and be denied citizenship.” -FMT