“We want to protect children from exploitation when they get married at such a tender age. Most underage marriages can be considered as some form of exploitation,” Mujahid Yusof Rawa, the minister in charge of Islamic affairs, told reporters at the Parliament today.
The move drew protest from PAS, with its vice-president Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah saying it was allowed by Islam.
Another PAS leader has urged the government to view the issue from all perspectives as underage marriages do not only involve Muslims but also other communities as well.
“For instance, it is the culture of the Orang Asal to marry at the age of 16 or 17,” said PAS deputy president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man.
Mujahid had earlier said that the government was drawing up standard operation procedures (SOP) for shariah courts to tighten provisions on child marriage.
He said the government was keen to ban child marriages, adding that the SOP was just a “short-term effort”.