Penang Pakatan backbencher pushes for marriage age to be raised to 18 years

GEORGE TOWN, Aug 7 ― The age of consent for marriages should be increased to 18 years old, a backbencher told the state legislative assembly today.

Syerleena Abdul Rashid (PH - Seri Delima) said the state must amend its laws to raise the age to 18 years to protect young girls from being forced into marriage.

“Selangor has already done this so it is time for Penang to do this too,” she said in her motion of thanks to the Penang governor’s speech.

She later clarified outside the House that she is trying to push for the state government to amend the Islamic Family Law Enactment to raise the age of consent for marriage to 18 years.

“The age of consent must be increased to 18 irrespective of religion, no ifs, no buts, this must be done,” she said.

She added that it is disgusting that an adult man married an 11-year-old child.

While the state can only amend the state laws but not civil laws governing marriages for non-Muslims, she said any underage marriage for non-Muslims must obtain approval from the chief minister.

“I just want to ensure that underage marriages are not approved at all here,” she said.

Syerleena, during her debate, also said it was wrong to let rapists marry their victims as this only further victimises the victim.

To this, Muhamad Yusoff Mohd Noor (BN - Sungai Dua) stood up to say that in some of these rape cases, the victims agreed to marry the rapists.

“Not every rape victim have to marry their rapists, there are only some cases, especially Muslims, the victim felt ashamed and marriage was agreed by both sides,” he said.

Satees Muniandy (PH - Bagan Dalam) stood up to say he did not agree with Muhamad Yusoff.

He also supported Syerleena’s call for the age of consent for marriage to be increased.

“I feel that regardless of their race and religion, children should not be married at a young age,” he said.

Syerleena responded to Muhamad Yusoff by pointing out that in this modern society, the issue of covering up “shame from rape” no longer applied.

She said the rape victims were subjected to trauma from the rape and then they were forced to marry their attacker which was wrong.

“What about the trauma they faced? Who asked them how they felt? These victims and young girls should be protected and given opportunity to continue with their education instead of being forced into marriage,” she said.