KOTA KINABALU: Sabah PAS is throwing its support behind Sabah mufti Datuk Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar’s controversial suggestion to lower the minimum marriage age to 14.
State PAS commissioner Mohd Aminuddin Aling said all parties should prioritise syarak (Islamic teachings) in discussing matters pertaining to the legal marriage age.
He said the party was concerned with the comments coming from some political leaders and netizens, which he claimed made fun of Bungsu’s statement.
“We believe the Sabah mufti’s suggestion is rooted in religious knowledge and is credible.
“He is not telling 14-year-old girls to get married, but merely suggesting that the Islamic view be prioritised in the event that such a situation arises,” Mohd Aminuddin said in a statement yesterday.
He urged the government, policymakers and leaders to consider the views of mufti and ulama (religious scholars) when deciding on setting the legal marriage age.
A local daily reported Bungsu as saying that people should be allowed to get married early, which according to Syariah law is 14 for girls and 16 for boys, as some of these children can already be considered mature.
Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin on Twitter had referred to Bungsu’s statement as “madness”, while Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religion) Fuziah Salleh was reported as saying that she disagreed with lowering the legal marriage age.
The Centre for A Better Tomorrow vice-president Ng Yeen Seen urge leaders in the country to exercise wisdom when talking about child marriage, as their statements can influence the public on the issue.
Ng said that leaders in the country should serve as a “beacon” in the protection of child rights in the country.
