Voon urges federal women minister to heed public calls to ban child marriage

KUCHING: The federal Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Datuk Seri Rina Mohd Harun has been urged to heed public calls to ban child marriage as soon as possible to protect young girls in the country.

According to Social activist Voon Shiak Ni, it is abusive and unjust to condone or permit child marriages when a child does not have the maturity yet to comprehend or give consent to a decision made by others that may end her right to childhood, education and future.

“Be aware and be mindful that a wedlock can be a padlock for a child bride. Child marriage will trap and deprive a child of not only her childhood but also her future,” said Voon in a statement.

She reminded Rina that a taskforce that was set up four years ago involving the relevant bodies and religious councils to examine and tighten laws on child marriage following public backlash and outrage over the news of a then-11-year-old girl who was married off by her parents to a 41-year-old man with two wives and five children.

“It is a shame that the ministry has not made any expected significant progress via the taskforce. Nothing can be achieved of there is a lack of political will to make it happen,” she said.

Voon said although Rina had explained in Parliament that legislation alone is not enough to ban child marriage, the minister should know that initiating such legislation would help to eradicate child marriage in the community.

“I seriously urge Rina and her ministry to take the public calls for the banning of child marriage seriously and to push for a legislation to ban child marriage in Malaysia,” added Voon.