JOHOR BARU, Oct 21 — The minimum age limit for marriages in Johor has been fixed at 18 years for Muslim and non-Muslim men and women as had been coordinated at the central level.

Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian said previously the marriage age in the state had been fixed at 18 years for males and 16 years for females.

He said, however, marriages under the age of 18 years could still be given flexibility to be carried out based on reasonable grounds besides getting the approval of the Mentri Besar.

"At the last meeting of the Mentris Besar and Chief Ministers with Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (Oct 16 in Putrajaya), we (the government) had fixed the marriage age regardless for Muslims and non-Muslims at 18 years and above but flexibility can be given on reasonable grounds.

"Marriages below the age of 18 years can also be approved with the agreement of the Mentri Besar or Chief Minister,” he told reporters after the National Youth Premier Award 2018 ceremony at the Johor state level, here today.

Meanwhile at the event, eight winners of the 2018 National Premier Youth Awards at the Johor state level took home cash totalling RM43,000, accompanying trophy and appreciation certificate, including Fauzi Faizal from the Sungai Tiram Youth Club who won in the male youth category, Nor Latifah Ali Syaiful from the Southern Star Youth Association who won in the female category while the Segamat District Youth Council won the category for Badan Gabungan Terbaik Majlis Belia Negeri Johor. — Bernama