Sabah PAS fully supports mufti’s statement to lower legal marriage age to 14

(The Star) – Sabah PAS has called for all parties to prioritise syarak (Islamic teachings) in discussing matters pertaining to the legal marriage age.

State PAS commissioner Mohd Aminuddin Aling said the party fully supports Sabah mufti Datuk Bungsu @ Aziz Jaafar’s suggestion to lower the minimum marriage age to 14 for girls.

Mohd Aminuddin said the party was concerned with comments from some political leaders and netizens, which he claimed made fun of Bungsu’s statement.

“We believe that the Sabah mufti’s suggestion is rooted in religious knowledge, and is credible.

Mohd Aminuddin urged the Government, policymakers and leaders to consider the views of mufti and ulama (religious scholars) when deciding on setting the legal marriage age, as “any views coming from Allah SWT should be prioritised”.

A local daily reported Bungsu as saying that people should be allowed to get married early, which according to Syariah law is 14 for girls and 16 for boys, as some of these children can already be considered mature.

Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin on Twitter had referred to Bungsu’s statement as “madness”, while Deputy Minister in Prime Minister’s Department (Religion) Fuziah Salleh was reported as saying that she disagreed with the mufti’s suggestion to decrease the legal marriage age.