Former women, family and community development minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has come to the defence of her ally Hannah Yeoh, who is being probed under the MCMC Act over her remarks on child marriage.
Wan Azizah said on Jan 16, the then Pakatan Harapan government had launched a "comprehensive" National Strategic Plan to Address the Causes of Underage Marriage.
She added that there was a series of challenges finding solutions to this issue as Muslim marriages are within the jurisdiction of the state.
Seven states, namely Sarawak, Pahang, Terengganu, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan Kedah and Kelantan, had expressed their dissatisfaction with the draft bill to amend the Islamic Family Law Act 1984 (Act 303) by setting the minimum age of marriage to 18 years.
"So is it wrong for Yeoh, the former deputy minister of women, family and community development, who drafted the strategic plan to enquire and ask the new deputy minister Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff about the matter?" Wan Azizah asked.
Siti Zailah is also the MP for Rantau Panjang in Kelantan.
"This is considering Kelantan is also one of the states that resisted efforts to raise the marriage age limit," Wan Azizah pointed out.
"I urge the authorities to be fair, and I remind Putrajaya not to commit political intimidation on members of Parliament who carry out their duty to voice the people's issues."
Wan Azizah was referring to the Malaysiakini report yesterday titled, "Cops to question Segambut MP over child marriage tweet".
Yeoh is being investigated under Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act on improper use of network facilities or network services.
She faces up to one year in jail, a fine of RM50,000 or both.
The support for Yeoh also came from an unlikely source. BN MP for Pengerang Azalina Othman Said tweeted: "It’s bad precedent and open 'Unnecessary' floodgates to question MPs/ADUNs (assemblypersons) for expressing their views on Twitter!!!".
Azalina (below) had tagged Communications and Multimedia Minister Saifuddin Abdullah on the matter as well.
On the same note, Penang Seri Delima DAP assemblyperson Syerleena Abdul Rashid told Putrajaya not to prevent MPs from doing their work.
She expressed solidarity with Yeoh, saying she hopes the investigation would proceed smoothly without any disruption.
"With the absence of a proper Parliament session, Yeoh expressed her concern through Twitter," Syerleena pointed out.
She said the issue of underage marriage affects women, especially underprivileged girls, from low-income families with no support system.
"The issue of minority marriages not only involves Muslims but also non-Muslims," Syerleena added.
She cited government statistics over the past 10 years, which show a record of more than 10,000 minor marriage cases involving Muslims and 4,999 non-Muslim cases nationwide.
Syerleena said this is a national issue that deserves serious attention.
"Women are at high risk related to their sexual health and pregnancy, which can lead to injury and death.
"The future of many underage girls depends on the government's approach to addressing this issue," Syerleena explained.
She said Yeoh had previously worked hard to develop the National Strategic Plan for Underage Marriages to Address the Causes of Underage Marriages.
"She is still concerned about the issue although she is no longer a deputy minister," Syerleena added.
Meanwhile, three Harapan Women leaders said in a statement that PAS has reportedly resisted measures to ban child marriages.
The statement was issued by Senator Raj Munni Sabu from Amanah, DAP's Jannie Lasimbang and PKR's Sangetha Jayakumar.
They pointed out that in 2018, PAS vice-chief Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah had said that “imposing a blanket ban on child marriages contravened religious teachings”.
They also cited a Malaysiakini report published in November 2018, stating that “a roundtable organised by PAS-led Kelantan government has concluded that underage marriage is consistent with the Syariah law and even a ‘necessity’ in the state”.
In March, Siti Zailah (above), when asked about the concern raised by Yeoh about the future of the national road map to fight child marriages, had reportedly remarked she had no qualms with any policies as long as it was in line with the Quran and hadith.
But in the same article, Siti Zailah was said to have previously endorsed child marriage, particularly in a July 2017 parliamentary debate.
"Given that a lawmaker who holds such a view is now deputy minister of the very ministry that initiated the National Road Map to fight child marriages, it is indeed of obvious concern to many Malaysians, as to the stand of the Perikatan Nasional government on child marriages," said the statement signed by the trio.
"It is the right and in fact the duty of every Malaysian, let alone elected representatives, to question, loudly, the government’s stand on fundamental issues.
"Equally, it is the duty of the government to provide clear answers," they added. - Mkini
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