A total of 968 marriages involving non-Muslim children and adults and 147 marriages between children were registered nationwide last year.

Meanwhile, a total of 5,362 applications for permission to proceed with Muslim child marriages were registered with the syariah courts between 2013 and last year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail gave the figures during the question-and-answer session in Dewan Rakyat.

She said that out of the total, Sarawak has the largest number of applications at 918, followed by Sabah at 793, Kelantan (793), Johor (440), Terengganu (407), Kedah (389), Selangor (385), Pahang (354), Perak (266), Federal Territory (178), Negeri Sembilan (155), Perlis (107), Melaka (91), and Penang (86).

“The issue of underaged marriage does not only involve adults (and children) but also those aged below 18,” she said in answering question from P. Kasthuriraani (PH-Batu Kawan).

Previously, Dr Wan Azizah had said that authorities are investigating a union between a 41-year-old man and an 11-year-old girl in Gua Musang, Kelantan, which elicited outrage from the public.

Source: NST