Selangor records 48 underage marriage applications from Muslims this year

SHAH ALAM, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Selangor recorded a total of 48 underage marriage applications involving Muslim couples as of Oct 31 this year, said Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari.

He said of the total, 34 applications had been approved while 14 were rejected.

“For the non-Muslim marriage’s registration it falls under the purview of the Registration Department,” he said this at the State Legislative Assembly sitting here today.

Amirudin (PKR-Sungai Tua) said this when responding to a question from Elizabeth Wong Keat Ping (PKR-Bukit Lanjan) who wanted to know the number of applications and approvals for underage marriage involving Muslim couples during the period.

Replying to a question from Lim Yi Wei (DAP-Kampung Tunku) who wanted to know the number of underage Muslim marriage applications recorded after the amendments of the Islamic Family Enactment (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 (Amendment 2018) passed, Amirudin said thus far no application had been received.

“This is because we are still using the previous enactment as the new enactment will only come into effect from January 2019,” he said.

On Sept 5, Selangor State Assembly passed the Islamic Family Enactment (State of Selangor) Enactment 2003 (Amendment 2018) which, among others, regulates the minimum age limit of Muslim marriage from 16 to 18 years in the state.

Amirudin when presenting the motion then, said that under the amendment every marriage application for those under the age of 18 have to obtain permission from a Syariah Court judge in Selangor.

Prior to the amendment, Section 8 of the Islamic Family Enactment (State of Selangor) 2003 had determined that the minimum age of marriage for Muslim men was not less than 18, and for Muslim women not less than 16.

Selangor was the first state to amend the Islamic Family Enactment (State of Selangor) 2003 regarding the minimum age limit of Muslim marriage in the state, following the issue of 11-year-old girl’s marriage to a 41-year-old man in southern Thailand earlier this year.

The amendment was approved by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah who viewed cases involving Muslim underage marriages seriously because of the negative impact on the couple’s future as well as its implication on society.

-- BERNAMA