TELUK INTAN: The mechanism of having banks to impose certain restrictions on men who neglect to pay alimony to their former wives after divorce will be brought to the Cabinet next month, says Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusuf Rawa (pic).
The Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department said the Finance Ministry, Attorney General’s Chambers and Public Service Department had given their feedback and the matter is expected to be implemented this year.
“The court which makes an order in respect of alimony and child maintenance has the bailiff power to ensure the enforcement of the court’s decision, but this is not being done,” Mujahid, who is also Parit Buntar MP, was quoted as saying by Bernama after opening the Islam Rahmatan Lil Alamin seminar here yesterday.
Earlier, Mujahid said the government was considering more stringent measures, including imposing bank restrictions, on former husbands who were reluctant to provide maintenance for their former spouses and children.
He said the move was to protect the interests of women and children as well as to ensure the men fulfil their responsibilities after divorce.
Elaborating, Mujahid said the mechanism was to allow the Syariah Judiciary Department to make claims from the ex-husband’s contributions to the Employees Provident Fund and bank accounts to pay alimony to their ex-wives as had been decided by the Syariah Court.
He added that many women were not afforded justice in terms of alimony which had been decided by the Syariah court, so enforcement measures would have to be stepped up.
Meanwhile, former Women’s Aid Organisation executive director Ivy Josiah said women’s and rights groups have for a long time been raising the issue.
“It is an economic burden for women when their maintenance for themselves, and especially for child support, is not received on a regular basis and sometimes not at all.
“If ex-husbands and fathers refuse to pay maintenance, these mothers most often can’t afford legal costs to go back to court to fight it out again and enforce payment,” she said.
She added that the move would help these errant men to fulfil their court-ordered responsibilities to ensure their children’s everyday living cost is taken care of.
“It is actually an acute problem that many fathers do not pay.
“The solution that women’s and rights groups have put forward is to institute a collection agency or a support agency that collects from the men who have been ordered to pay maintenance for their ex-wife or children.
“Think of it like collecting taxes, the support agency collects to redistribute to the respective single mothers.
“This support agency is both for syariah and civil court,” said the women’s rights activist.
“I am relieved that this issue is being tackled as the non-payments can drive female-headed families to live in poverty-like conditions.”- Star
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.