Yeoh: Money matters important for newlyweds

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Population and Family Development Board Malaysia (LPPKN) and the Credit Counselling and Debt Management Agency (AKPK) are working closely together to strengthen the financial management chapter in the pre-marital course for future newlyweds.

Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh (pic) said this was crucial considering the high rate of divorces that happen due to couples facing financial constraints.

"A lot of times, couples spend a lot on their wedding so they enter into marriage with a negative account, with debt, and that's something we want to avoid.

"That's why we want to help them start right, because if you start the marriage with a negative balance, it's hard to pick up the momentum again," Yeoh told reporters at the Women and Investment Seminar at Bursa Malaysia here on Saturday (Aug 24).

The LPPKN, an agency under the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, offers pre-marital courses which can be taken up by both Muslims and non-Muslims on a voluntary basis.

Meanwhile, it is compulsory for Muslims to attend a pre-wedding course organised by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and state religious departments.

Yeoh said they were reviewing a lot of the materials from the LPPKN pre-marital course but decided that they must strengthen the chapter on finances.

"We are definitely working with the AKPK (an agency under Bank Negara Malaysia) on this," said Yeoh, adding that there will be a special launch soon.

Yeoh also said that the Ministry is in close collaboration with Jakim and constantly discussing issues such as ways to strengthen the pre-marital course modules.

Previously, Yeoh said that financial problem was the main cause for divorce among non-Muslims in the country whereby from 6,901 cases recorded last year, 2,971 cases were due to financial issues.