SHAH ALAM: Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari has called on his counterparts to emulate the state government’s footsteps in raising the minimum marriage age to 18.
Amirudin said Selangor, had in its first term of the 14th state legislative assembly sitting last month, made amendments to the marriage age limit for Muslim men and girls in the state to be raised from the minimum of 16 to 18.
“This was done as we realised the importance of protecting the children and it is for their own benefit. That was why we took swift action in addressing this and we had discussions with the Selangor Religious Islamic Council (MAIS) and the state mufti.
“We found that that it is allowed (the amendments). This matter is vital and so we got the bill to make the necessary amendments passed in the state assembly.
“Selangor is a step ahead and I hope my peers will do the same,” said Amirudin today.
Selangor became the first state in the country to raise the marriage age for Muslim men and women.
Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, in his royal address while opening the state legislative assembly sitting, voiced his concern over cases that involved Muslim couples getting married at a very young age, especially girls, and that he viewed these cases seriously.
It was reported recently that Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad had ordered all state governments to up the minimum marriage age for Muslims and non-Muslims to 18.
The premier had reportedly issued the directive at a meeting with all Menteris' Besar and chief ministers at Perdana Putra.
