Malaysian Shariah Judiciary Department Director-General Ibrahim Lembut said the women had the right to stay in the house with their children throughout the ‘edah’ period (waiting period for Muslim women to observe following divorce or death of spouse) and they could even lodge a report to the relevant authorities if they were forced to leave.

“It is a wrong principle for a woman to leave her marital home immediately after being divorced. She must stay there as long as she is not forced to leave the house by her ex-husband.”

He said this to reporters after attending the commissioning ceremony of 100 Malacca Syarie lawyers graced by Malacca Chief Minister Idris Haron and attended by Malacca Chief Sharie Judge Mohd Radzi Abd Latif.

Ibrahim also reminded all divorced men that the payment of alimony and child support was compulsory in Islam.

“(According to Shariah law), men who refuse to pay alimony can be jailed,” he said, adding that the payment, however, could be postponed if the ex-husband was facing financial difficulty after the divorce.