HANOI: Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said she had presented to the Conference of Rulers the marriage age limit proposal in the country.
Wan Azizah who is also the Women, Family and Community Development Minister said this was because the law to set marriage age limit was vested in state powers.
“I have presented to the Conference of Rulers because the Malaysian administration between state and the federal government is different and the states also set the conditions for marriage subject to the powers of the state government,” she told reporters here today.
Wan Azizah who is on a three-day official visit to Vietnam, was asked to comment on the Menteri Besar and Chief Minister’s Meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad recently in Putrajaya which reportedly set the marriage age limit for Muslims and non-Muslims as well as men and women at 18 years in all states.
However, the meeting also set that marriage under the age of 18 is allowed, but it has to be done with reasons and with the approval of the Menteri Besar or Chief Minister.
Dr Wan Azizah said she was also informed that several states including Sabah, Selangor and Melaka had agreed to raise the marriage age limit.
Asked if the states under PAS rule will also be taking the same action, she said “let’s wait and see’.
In another development, Dr Wan Azizah proposed the setting up of a warning system through short messaging system (SMS) to provide early information on floods.
“Through the system, those who maybe involved in floods could evacuate earlier without being badly affected,” she said.
She said the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry and the Meteorological Department would be looking into the development of the system.--Bernama