SISTERS IN ISLAM WELCOMES GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL TO INCREASE MARRYING AGE TO 18JAN 14, 2020 @ 1.02PM
To date, Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Sarawak has opposed the move to increase of the legal marrying to 18.
Sisters in Islam (SIS) welcomes the government’s effort to ban child marriage by proposing to legally amend the minimum age of marriage from 16 - 18 years old and to make the procedures stricter for a Shariah Court judge to allow marriages below the age of 18.
This statement is in response to a comment made by Attorney General (AG) Tan Sri Tommy Thomas during his speech at the launch of the Legal Year 2020 on January 10 at Putrajaya International Convention Centre where he revealed that the AG’s Chambers (AGC) are currently evaluating its options into the proposed amendments, as the government’s legislative branch looks at their best efforts to safeguard the welfare and interest of children. “Our officers are actively involved in consultation processes between the Federal and the States for purposes of uniformity in the law and the drafting of amendments to the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984,” he said. The issue of child marriage has long been debated in Malaysia and it is refreshing to see that the government has taken actions to safeguard the welfare of children despite the refusal of seven states - Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perlis, Negeri Sembilan, Kedah and Sarawak to increase the legal marrying age. SIS maintains that the minimum age of marriage should be raised to 18 without any exceptions. Deprived of childhood Child marriage is harmful for children as it deprives them of their childhood and their right to education as they are often removed from school hence, perpetuating their cycle of poverty. As they are mostly married to much older men, they are incapable of voicing their concerns, especially when it comes to sexual expectations, resulting in early pregnancies which can cause higher risks of maternal and infant mortality. Children who are married young experience a higher degree of domestic abuse. While SIS welcomes the amendment, it is also crucial for the government to impose a comprehensive sexuality education in schools to curb unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. The government should also aim to make education compulsory for children until Form Five to empower them to achieve their maximum potential. The amendment of the law must be looked into urgently as delays in amending the law will increase the exposure of the children to marriage and restrict the country to achieve a high-income status. 
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