How many more “licenced” child rapes must Malaysia witness before action is taken?

The second reported child marriage in Kelantan within two months, albeit this time with the Syariah Court’s permission begs the question as to when enforcement will be taken to put an end to underage sexual violations, under the guise of marriage (although with a polygamous spouse).

The teenager’s father’s explanation that marriage is a way out of poverty and all he wants is for the daughter’s happiness draws similarity to the earlier Gua Musang case whereby economic and livelihood factors pushed and drove the button for the parents to wed their underage daughters.

But are these girls indeed rescued from a life of destitution? On the contrary, it is universal consensus that child marriages will breed another generation of the poverty cycle, as the child bride does not fully recognise how crucial education is, and will be tied up with the burdens of setting up a family home, obligations to in-laws, responsibilities of motherhood.

If these husbands were genuine benefactors and really cared for the financial well-being of the underage girls, and as they are endowed with the financial means, they should have sponsored the child to get an education, school uniforms and shoes, rather than satisfying their lust by simply putting another plate of food on the table in exchange.

If they hold some power of persuasion or influence, they should have stressed the completion of basic education up to pre-university level, or to learn some form of skills training so that these minor children can have a chance to step out of unequal opportunities arising out of illiteracy or a lack of education.

How long will these attractions last once their husbands grow bored of them if there is another underage attractive impoverished girl in the kampung, or as the child brides age into adulthood, and their physical bodies become fully formed?

Clearly, there are signs of sexual grooming as both minor brides were familiar with their spouses months and years before tying the knot – an offence under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 (SOAC), and Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Dato’ Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail did give her word of investigating the first case for thus. However, now in the second case, as was with the first case, the Pandan MP now says the federal government cannot act. Such an excuse is only another licence for paedophiles to continue grooming and debauching their preys.

Wanita MCA urges the Kelantan state government to emulate Selangor in amending enactments to raise the legal age of marriage for both genders to 18 years. Likewise, the federal government must stop dithering on taking action against paedophiles who groom their victims.
 
SOAC is a federal legislation. There is thus an avenue for the federal government to take action against child groomers. Without any enforcement, irresponsible adults be it the parents or future sex fiend spouse, will seize this opportunity to sexually assault more minor children.

If laws prohibit people under the age of 21 to vote, how can laws and especially persons in authority in charge of child welfare assume uneducated youngsters under 18 years have the maturity to handle child bearing responsibilities ?

Nicole Wong Siaw Ting
MCA Youth Vice Chairman

-MCA online-