IPOH, July 3 — Perak Pakatan Harapan (PH) leaders and assemblymen say they will support amendments to existing laws to raise the legal age of marriage for Muslim girls in the state from 16 to 18 years old.

At the moment, the legal age of marriage in Perak for Muslim boys is 18 and a number of lawmakers told Malay Mail that they would back an increase in the age limit for girls.

State PH youth chief Hasnul Zulkarnain Abdul Munaim believed girls of 16 were not mature enough to consider marriage.

“Of course, this all depends on how the laws will be amended. But to me, 16 is not old enough for people to be married now,” he said.

“They need to get an adequate education first. What we worry about is divorce. If they get divorced, these girls will be left without a proper education.”

His sentiments were echoed by Women and Family Development and Social Welfare exco Wong May Ing, who said the minimum age should be 18.

“I believe the minimum age should be 18 because I feel 16 is still too young. Amending this law is something we will definitely push for after this.”

Perak DAP chairman and Aulong assemblyman Nga Kor Ming said he was “dead against” child marriage, adding that he believed 18 should be the legal age of marriage.

However, he opined that Parliament should lead the way by tabling a new legislation to ban child marriage.

“I think a consistent stand is needed across the country. There should be zero tolerance against child marriage nationwide.

“I myself am a father of twin girls so this is something I feel strongly about. I am happy that the Cabinet is studying this and I firmly believe that 18 should be the legal age of marriage.”

PKR’s Hulu Kinta assemblyman Muhamad Arafat Varisai Mahamad, however, said that various agencies, including those dealing with religious and legal matters, need to be consulted before any amendments to the law were made.

He said this was necessary because the law was dealing with religious issues.

“Personally, I believe we need to sit down and exchange the different viewpoints on this issue. This will give us a better perspective and allow us to make a better decision,” said Arafat.

The issue of child marriage reared its ugly head again after a 41-year-old Kelantanese man took an 11-year-old Thai girl as his third wife in southern Thailand last month.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from Malaysians, but legal experts say a uniform legal age of marriage of 18 can only be realised if all state legislative assemblies amend their respective Islamic Family Law Enactments. 

State Religious and Islamic Education, Industry, Rural and Entrepreneur Development committee chairman Asmuni Awi said the current minimum age of marriage in Perak for Muslim girls was 16, according the state Islamic Family Enactment 2004.

The same enactment says the minimum age of marriage for boys is 18. However, exceptions can be made for both genders if a Syariah court judge provides written consent.

Asked if he thought 16 was too young for someone to be married, Asmuni was non-committal in his response.

“That can be looked into, but the current law says that the minimum age is 16,” was his reply when asked by Malay Mail.