Man vows to defend marriage to girl
GUA MUSANG: The man who married an 11-year-old girl vowed to defend his third marriage despite being harshly criticised by many quarters.
Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid, 41, said his third marriage with the underage girl, only known as Ayu, was not a case of elopement as they were married with the blessings from girl's parents who were also present during the solemnisation ceremony at Sungai Golok, Southern Thailand on June 18.
He said he promised to get his wife a proper marriage certification once she reached the aged of 16, which is the minimum legal age for marriage for girls in Malaysia, before they could stay together.
“I was disappointed with various criticisms and allegations made against me in the social media after I took her as my third wife.
“I am looking into this matter to pursue a legal action to clear my name from the inaccurate and malicious allegations,” he told reporters at his house in Kampung Lalang, Kuala Betis, near here yesterday.
Che Abdul Karim said he had met the parents of the Thai girl who lived in Kampung Panggong Lalat here before the marriage to seek their permission and that they had agreed to it on condition that it would be a ‘nikah gantung' (suspended marriage) and he had to wait for another five years before he and the girl could actually live together as husband and wife.
“I know that my third wife is only 11 years old, that she does not attend school and that she has to reach the age of 16 for us to live together. Ayu agrees to this too,” he said.
He also denied the allegations that his first and second wives were seeking a divorce, saying that they never sought such action and had begun to accept his third wife.
Several photographs of the man marrying the 11-year-old went viral and sparked outrage after the matter was disclosed by his second wife last Friday. Meanwhile, the 11-year-old child bride claimed that that she is in love with the man whom she calls “abe” (abang) since she was nine years old.
“His children are my friends. We were staying behind his house for many years.
“I have always liked him since I was little. He is a kind man. He is good to my family. So when he proposed marriage, I agreed.
“I have loved him since I was nine,” said the girl, whose parents are Thai nationals.
Her father, who wants to be known only as Mat, said he agreed to accept the marriage proposal because his daughter had agreed to it.
“Furthermore, my son-inlaw is a good man. But we will only allow her to live with her husband after she turns 16.
“She will stay with us for the next five years. She is still a child,” he said.
Mat said they accepted the marriage proposal during the recent fasting month.
Kelantan Syariah chief judge Datuk Daud Muhammad said both Syariah Court and parental approvals were needed for marriage involving a minor.
“Even if the wedding took place in another country, the bride and groom must seek Syariah Court approval,” he said.