Rights groups and politicians criticised a proposed cash incentive for newlyweds in Malaysia’s Perak state after officials confirmed that people as young as 15 could qualify.
The Perak government is considering a one-off payment of 500 ringgit (£92) to first-time newlyweds aged 15 to 35 born in the state or living there for at least 10 years.
Khairudin Abu Hanipah, head of the state’s education and youth committee, said the proposal was unanimously approved by the Perak Youth Assembly, an advisory forum for young people, and was intended to ease financial burden on young couples.
“We view this as a positive initiative that demonstrates the state government’s care and concern by providing some assistance to newly married couples,” he told reporters on Friday.
The proposal, which was yet to receive final approval, however, invited criticism over its inclusion of minors.
“Any form of marriage incentive should not include children or individuals below the age of 18”, the national human rights commission, Suhakam, said in a statement issued on Sunday.
It warned that paying minors to marry could create the perception that child marriage was “accepted, supported or encouraged”.
Malaysia’s Child Act defines anyone under 18 as a child, although laws allow some under-18s to marry with judicial or other official permission.
Perak recorded 144 underage marriages in 2021, including 130 involving girls under 18, according to official figures.
Amira Aisya Abdul Aziz, president of Muda, a youth-focused political party, criticised the proposal as well.
“The Perak state government needs to review its proposed first marriage incentive for young people,” she said. “This incentive would only encourage marriages involving children.”
The proposal also faced criticism online. One user wrote: “A 15-year-old has no business thinking about marriage.”
Another questioned the unanimous approval: “How many school kids are married there for this to be voted on unanimously?”
Some users also mocked the amount offered, with one saying 500 ringgit “wouldn’t even cover the food for the wedding”.
Sangetha Jayakumar, secretary of the women’s wing of People’s Justice Party, called for setting the minimum eligible age at 18 and requiring applicants to show proof that they had completed or were pursuing secondary education.
She warned that without a minimum age, financial pressures could push families to marry off their daughters earlier.
“Financial hardship is already a documented driver of underage marriage in Malaysia,” she said in a statement, according to Free Malaysia Today.
Ms Sangetha also said that Selangor and Kedah states had set 18 as the minimum marriage age for women, while Perak had not.
She noted that the state’s history of underage marriages had contributed to girls dropping out of school.
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