There were 827 applications for marriage below 16 years from the Muslim community last year, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rohani Abdul Karim.
She said the Sarawak Council for Native Customs and Traditions recorded 294 such marriages for the same year.
"While such marriage for non-Muslims is void under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976," she said in a written reply at the Dewan Rakyat here Wednesday.
She was replying to a question by Teo Nie Ching (DAP-Kulai) on the number of marriages involving Malaysians under 16 years old.
Teo also wanted the Women Family and Community Development Ministry (KPWKM) to state the measures taken to ban child marriages as Malaysia had accepted a UN resolution to ban child marriage in October 2013.
Rohani said in Malaysia, marriage laws are under family laws and administered separately for Muslims and non-Muslims.
"Muslim marriage is administered under the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Enactment 1984 and the Islamic Family Law Enactment in the statex which provide for marriage under the age of 16 to obtain the approval of the Shariah Court.
"While for non-Muslims, Section 10 of Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976 provides for the minimum age for marriage at 18 years. However, she said if a girl has achieved 16 years, could marry with the approval of the Chief Minister," she said.
She said the marriage customs were implemented and registered under the respective pribumi customs in Sarawak and the Native Courts Enactment 1992 in Sabah.
Meanwhile, Rohani said KPWKM had taken the stand that children should be given the opportunity to realise their full potential.
As such, she said, several measures were taken to combat underage marriage including creating a National Policy in Reproductive Health and Social Education and an action plan, setting up the underage marriage task force as well as kafe@TEEN teenager centre throughout the country to provide information relating to psychosocial issues and counselling.
Bernama
Thu Apr 07 2016
Rohani said marriage laws are under family laws and administered separately for Muslims and non-Muslims.
Korea Selatan pindahkan 97 rakyatnya dari Lubnan
Kementerian Luar Korea Selatan maklumkan, kesemua mereka tiba di Korea Selatan pada petang Sabtu.
Pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula 23 September lalu.
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
Lebih 2,000 terkorban di Lubnan akibat serangan Israel
Laporan Al Jazeera menyebut, jumlah mangsa yang maut itu termasuk 261 wanita dan 127 kanak-kanak.
AWANI Pagi: Pendayaupayaan Pembangunan Sosio Ekonomi Bagi Memacu Wilayah Persekutuan
Ikuti temu bual bersama Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri (Wilayah Persekutuan), Dr Zaliha Mustafa di #AWANIPagi jam 7.30 pagi di saluran 501 Astro AWANI.
Pentagon, Jabatan Negara AS beri amaran jenayah perang Israel
Pegawai-pegawai tersebut telah memberi amaran peningkatan jumlah kematian di Gaza mungkin melanggar undang-undang antarabangsa.
200,000 pelarian tiba di Syria selepas serangan Israel ke atas Lubnan - UNHCR
Lebih 200,000 warga Syria dan Lubnan telah tiba di Syria dari Lubnan sejak serangan Israel bermula pada 23 Sept.
Belanjawan 2025: Kesalinghubungan internet di sekolah, kampus jadi keutamaan - Fahmi
Kementerian Komunikasi akan memberikan keutamaan dengan meneruskan usaha untuk meningkatkan dan memantapkan lagi prasarana kesalinghubungan melibatkan isu Internet, dalam Belanjawan 2025 yang akan dibentangkan pada 18 Okt ini.
Setahun solidariti, sokongan global untuk Palestin di tengah-tengah genosid berterusan Israel
Ribuan manusia di seluruh dunia turun ke jalanan untuk menyuarakan sokongan kepada Palestin dan menuntut keadilan.
Indonesia kecewakan China, raih kejuaraan badminton berpasukan campuran remaja dunia
Indonesia menewaskan China untuk muncul Juara Badminton Berpasukan Campuran Remaja Dunia dengan kemenangan 110-103 (mata terkumpul).
"Sea change" needed to achieve goal of ending child marriage by 2030
About 500 delegates from over 70 countries are attending a three-day meeting in Kuala Lumpur, beginning today, to discuss the issue.