Child marriage has been in the headlines recently and due to this issue, the Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Ismail has released a statement reiterating that the government will raise the minimum marriage age to 18 years old. However, this statement has drawn disagreement from the Sabah Mufti, Datuk Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar.
Source: Berita Harian
As reported by NST, he believes that people should be allowed to get married at a younger age, specifically 14 years old for girls and 16 years old for boys, which is also stated in the Syariah Law.
“These are valid as long they follow proper procedures and obtain the required permission. The reason why they are allowed to get married early is because some of these children can already be considered mature,” he explained.
Source: Malay Mail
The Minister of State Laws and Native Affairs, Datuk Aidi Mokhtar, on the other hand, supported the suggestion of setting 18 years old as the minimum age of marriage. He also said,
“However, there should be some leniency for those under 18 who wish to get married. They should be allowed to apply for permission from the court. In fact, at the age of 16 or 18, there is no problem to get married as they have reached puberty.”
What is your opinion on allowing people to get married at a young age? Do you agree with increasing the legal age of marriage to 18 years old? Share with us your thoughts in the comment section below.
Also read: “Child Marriage Ban Cannot Be Accepted as it Goes Against Religious Teachings,” Says PAS VP
