The man in the child's wedding row being probed for "sexual grooming"

Deputy Premier Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the couple is considered unmarried as long as no evidence is presented.

Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Minister, said that she ordered her officials to study the minimum age for marriage at 18 years old. (Photo by Bernama)

PUTRAJAYA: The 41-year-old Malaysian, who is said to have married an 11-year-old girl, is under investigation for sexual assault, said the vice -Prime Minister, Dr. Wan Azizah Wan Ismail. Sexual grooming is an offense under the 2017 Sexual Offenses Against Children Act.

Wan Azizah, also minister of women's, family and community development, said the couple considered the couple unmarried.

S Addressing reporters at a meeting with the ministry's target groups, Wan Azizah said that the man was responsible for proving the validity of the marriage to the authorities.

"The interaction between the man and the child is subject to several laws concerning the protection of children. At the moment, the investigations into the case are in Officers and agents work with different enforcement agencies and relevant ministries to look closely at the case, "she said.

Dr. Wan Azizah said the government wants to protect the child concerned and provide him with medical help. even if she is a Thai national, all children living in Kelantan must be protected.

She said that the officers in charge of the case had met the child and the second wife of the man who had lodged a complaint. However, they had not met the man.

"The mother of the child works in a restaurant owned by the first woman of the man and he promised to" look after "financially from the family. only went to kindergarten. According to parents, the man will consummate the marriage only in five years, but the child must pass some tests, "said Wan Azizah.

"The government is very committed to tackling the issue of child marriages in the future.I asked my officers to consider d & # 39; raise the minimum age (for marriage) to 18 years for men and women, "she added.

News of a third marriage between a 41-year-old Malay and a 11-year-old Saturday, Wan Azizah said he had held a meeting with officials of the Prosecutor General's Chamber, the Department of Islamic Religious Affairs of Kelantan (JAHEIK), the Judicial Department of Syariah, the Bar Council of Malaysia, social activist Syed Azmi Alhabshi and agents of child agencies in Putrajaya and Kelantan

"The meeting was informed that the couple lived in Kelantan. However, JAHEIK would have had no record of the marriage registration. According to reports and a statement from the second wife of the man, it is believed that the wedding took place in Golok, Thailand, "she said.

Wan Azizah said that To date, the authorities had no evidence that the marriage was being conducted in Golok as claimed.Under the promulgation of Islamic law applied in all states, the minimum age (for marriage) for the men are 18 years old while for women it is 16. Underpaid marriages are only allowed with the consent of the court, the chief minister or the menteri besar. " now no request for consent has been made by the couple or the parents of the child. Said Wan Azizah

She urged all parties, including the media and Internet users, to give the authorities concerned the space needed to handle the situation and not to disseminate the photographs and information on the young lady.

Meanwhile in Kota Bharu, Mufti Kelantan Mohamad Shukri Mohamad said the case should be sent back to the Sharia Court.

He said that it was not easy to tell if the marriage was valid or not. Shariah Court

In Kuala Lumpur, the president of the Association of Asian Traders, Moehamad Izat Emir, said that poverty should not be an excuse or a quick fix for the family to marry with his minor daughter . 04] He said that the marriage violated the fundamental rights of the child and gave a negative perception to the public.

"We demand that the nubile age for women be immediately increased from 16 to 18 years," he said. In Gua Musang, Mumtaz Md Nawi, chairman of the Kelantan Wellness, Family and Women Development Committee, said the authorities concerned were the Department of Social Affairs, the Department of Islamic Affairs of Kelantan and the police. .