Govt to maintain minimum marriage age for Muslim girls at 16 years old

The government has decided to maintain the minimum marriage age for Muslim girls at 16 years old after considering the proposal to raise the limit to 18 years old.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Idris Ahmad (above) said the government had collected feedback from the state governments regarding this proposal as this is a matter under the states’ jurisdiction.

“Based on the feedback and views that were received, most states have essentially agreed to maintain the existing age limit as enshrined in the respective states’ Islamic family law.

“After taking into account the feedback from the states, the government is of the opinion that there is no need to revise the minimum marriage age limit for Muslim girls,” Idris said during the Minister’s Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a question from Kasthuri Patto (Pakatan Harapan-Batu Kawan), who had asked what steps the government is taking to increase the minimum marriage age limit for Muslim girls to 18 years old as well as to eradicate underage marriages.

Idris stressed that the Department of Syariah Judiciary (JKSM) has taken steps to ensure those who request to marry underage go through a rigorous evaluation process so that the interests of all parties involved are preserved.

JKSM issued the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for such applications on Sept 28, 2018, he said.

In the three years since the enforcement of the SOPs, Idris said the number of applications for underage marriages showed a reduction of 787 cases, compared to the three years before the enforcement started.

Kasthuri said several states have already taken the initiative to amend the minimum marriage age limit to 18 years old for Muslim girls and questioned if the government would lobby the remaining states to follow suit.

Idris responded that any issues related to Muslim marriages fall under the purview of the state government and that the federal government respects this right. - Mkini