What does RM500 say about how we see child marriage?

In 2018, Malaysia was shocked by the marriage of a 41-year-old man to an 11-year-old girl, who had never attended school. The government responded by planning to raise the minimum marriage age for girls from 16 to 18. However, eight years later, Malaysia still lacks a uniform law establishing 18 as the minimum marriage age. Now, Perak is considering a RM500 first-marriage incentive for youths aged 15-35, which has sparked concerns about the implications of including 15-year-olds in such a program.

At 15, a person might be considered a youth in various contexts, but under the Child Act 2001, they are still classified as a child. Marriage entails lifelong legal, emotional, physical, and financial responsibilities, and a definition suitable for one program should not be transferred to another without assessing potential harm. The author reflects on a 15-year-old woman she met, who was already raising seven children alone, highlighting the long-term consequences of early marriage.

The author argues that marriage is a difficult commitment even for adults, and a 15-year-old is not equipped to handle its burdens. Islam associates marriage with tranquility, love, and mercy, but these ideals require maturity, compassion, and responsibility. The author questions how a 15-year-old can realistically offer such qualities when she may have to leave school, become financially dependent, and experience early pregnancy.

The text emphasizes that before introducing a law, policy, or program affecting children, governments should conduct a child rights impact assessment, considering the best interests of the child. In the case of Perak's proposed incentive, no such assessment has been conducted, and the unanimous approval raises questions about the potential harm to minors. The author cites Islamic jurisprudence, stating that harm should be removed, and good intentions are not enough.

The RM500 incentive aims to reduce the cost of starting married life, but the author argues that the foreseeable harm includes interrupted education, early pregnancy, financial dependence, isolation, and abuse. The proposed benefit does not outweigh the potential damage to children's rights, education, health, safety, development, and autonomy.

The author concludes that protection for minors should be consistent across Malaysia, with no exceptions, and emphasizes the need to remove all individuals under 18 from the proposed incentive.