KOTA BARU: “Although many people are against this marriage, I will not succumb to the pressure and let Ayu go.
“Our marriage is permissible in Islam, even though it is against the law,” said the 41-year-old man who married an 11-year-old girl, identified only as 'Ayu' when commenting on his marriage with his third wife.
Hoping that the issue will not be prolonged, the father of six said all he wanted now is to lead a normal life with his family.
“I am aware that our story has become the talk of the nation and I am honestly stressed by the situation.
"However, I have gone back to my daily chores including fulfilling my duty as imam at the village surau.
“Villagers who knew about the marriage did not treat us with cynically; it is the outsiders who were shocked by the issue,” he said when contacted today.
The man said his wife, Ayu was not affected by the matter.
“We were called by the police to have our statements recorded and representatives from the state government had said that they will meet me in Gua Musang today.
“I will seek the advice of the state government before taking any action including to register this marriage,” he said.
Since being married to Ayu, he said he had yet to meet his 34-year-old second wife. This, he said, was to give her space as she was still upset.
“I don’t want anything untoward to happen if I meet her now,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ayu said she was willing to wait for another five years before she reached the age of 16 to live with her husband.
“I had repeatedly told those who took my statement about the marriage that I am not willing to be separated from my husband.
“I have also told the first and second wives that I loved him when they asked me about it. My relationship with them is getting better after the news of our marriage went public,” said Ayu who had been in touch with the man’s wives though WhatsApp.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail had yesterday said the man's marriage with his third wife was illegal and that the couple needed to be separated.
She was quoted as saying that the union was against the law and that it did not have the consent of the court.
The Islamic Family Law Enactment stated that the minimum legal age for marriage is 18 for a male and 16 for a female.
Those under the legal minimum age will be permitted to get married only if they had the consent of their parents and the syariah court.
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