KOTA KINABALU: The State Government should emulate the move by Selangor which changed the minimum age for marriage for Muslim men and women to 18 years old, from 16.
Sabah UMNO Wanita wing Chief, Datuk Hajah Jainab Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Ahmad Ayid, said they fully supported the move by Selangor and hoped the same can be done in Sabah.
“We in Sabah UMNO Wanita wing share similar concern with all women in the country on the underage marriage problem and related issues.”
“Underage marriages is also a problem in Sabah, as many of our women groups in the State had also voiced out recently…there were also such cases brought up to the court,” she said in a statement Tuesday.
Suiltan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah on Monday consented to the proposal by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) that the minimum age for marriage for Muslim men and women to be changed from 16 to 18 years.
At the Second Meeting of the First Session of the 14th Selangor State Assembly, Sultan Sharafuddin said he viiewed seriously the cases involving Muslim child marriages at a very young age, especially girls, as he was worried it would affect their future and have an effect on society.
“Underage marriages is not only unhealthy but can also cause to other problems…I personally feel that girls need to be allowed to study and follow their dreams, to enjoy her life as she wished to,” said Jainab, who was a former State Community Development and Consumer Affairs Minister who together with thr women groups in Sabah has been firm in her stand against underage marriages.-By LSK/BNN
