KUALA LUMPUR, July 6 ― The 41-year-old Kelantanese man who married an 11-year-old girl as his third wife, wants to send her to a "pondok” school, a type of privately-run Islamic school, to ensure she grows up a "well-mannered” Muslim woman.

Sinar Harian reported the rubber tapper, Che Abdul Karim Che Hamid, claiming his child bride is allegedly not interested in academic pursuits.

"She’s not interested in studies, however I will still persuade her to study at a religious school here in Gua Musang.

"Right now we are still trying to settle in. I will send her after my marriage problems are over,” Sinar Harian quoted him as saying.

The man is said to have married the child in south Thailand last month.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail reportedly said the marriage was unlawful as the court did not approve it and told the couple to separate, but the husband has refused.

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.