COMMENT | Is Malaysia serious about tackling child marriage?

COMMENT | There are still many loopholes in Malaysia’s legal system that allow underage girls to be married.

In 2018, news of a 41-year-old man marrying an 11-year-old girl in Kelantan caused outrage with many people demanding the government take a stronger stance to ban child marriages.

Malaysia has been criticised for not doing enough to address child marriage and is under pressure to lift its game.

Selangor and Kedah are the only states to have increased the legal minimum age of marriage to 18.

Many scholars explained marriage below the age of 18 is an irresponsible action leading to uncertainty in married life...