RANAU, July 9 —  There are a handful of community in Sabah who are still practicing the marriage of their children who are below 18 years old despite the law forbidding them to do so, said Assistant Health and People’s Well-Being Minister Norazlinah Arif.

She added a marriage between a boy and a girl below 18 years old will lead to several physical and emotional challenges, as well as pressure that includes education, health, economy, decision making and crime towards children.

“Such a situation can be the trigger to the social and moral problem among children. For example, a child cannot continue with education, deprived of a source of income and take responsibility for his family at a young age.

“It will also affect their new-born babies in terms of care, welfare and others,” she told reporters after the opening of the Child Marriage Awareness programme here today.

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Therefore, Norazlinah urged parents and the community to play an important role by providing early education and awareness to prevent underage child marriage in the nation, especially in Sabah.

According to her, the Parent-Teacher Association should alert the authorities if any student tend to leave school for early marriage. — Bernama