KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — The father of the girl, who was married to a 41-year-old man in Kelantan recently, has claimed that his daughter is actually 12 or 13 years old — although this means she is still considered a minor.

In a report by Sinar Harian, he also justified the marriage by explaining that his daughter reached puberty last year.

"Ever since last year, Ayu has reached puberty, and she is also not like a 11-year-old physically, because I had registered her birth late,” Madroseh Romadsa, 49, was quoted as saying in Gua Musang, Kelantan.

"My wife, Ameenoh Hitae, 47, lives with me here, but she went back to Thailand to give birth to Ayu,” she added.

The man said his wife had returned to Kelantan when the girl was two months old.

He also said that he allowed the marriage to happen as it is legal in his country.

"I will give my full cooperation to the police and any other relevant agencies or departments,” he reportedly said.

"I will not run because we did not commit any offence. In Thailand, many get married at a young age.”

Bernama reported earlier that the Kelantan police have opened an investigation paper on the child marriage involving an 11-year-old girl with a 41-year-old man in Gua Musang recently.

State police chief Datuk Hasanuddin Hassan said although there was no criminal element involved in the marriage, the case was opened on the grounds that the girl was an underage bride.