Housing and Local Government Minister Nga Kor Ming is under fire following a social media post that linked Perikatan Nasional’s (PN) opposition to a government policy allowing children as young as six to enter Standard One with the practice of underage marriages in Kelantan.
In his post on X, Nga shared an excerpt from a 2018 article that referenced the state’s history of child marriages. He wrote that PN had been vocal against the proposal to permit six-year-olds to start school, noting that over 130 countries have long implemented similar policies.
The minister added that while PN is perceived as weak on education, it apparently “doesn’t even care if marriage involves minors,” urging followers to reflect on the perceived inconsistency.
The post quickly drew criticism from Malaysians, who argued that equating six-year-olds entering school with teenage marriages was misleading and inappropriate. Many called on the minister to exercise greater care in presenting information online, particularly when referencing events from nearly a decade ago.
Several commentators accused Nga of using outdated sources to inflame debate, pointing out that the context of the 2018 article was not comparable to current discussions on early education. One response stated that the post conflated children aged six with adolescents aged 16 to 18, describing the comparison as “irresponsible and misleading.”
The controversy highlights the sensitivity surrounding discussions of both education policy and child marriage in Malaysia. Underage marriage remains a topic of ongoing debate, particularly in states such as Kelantan, while the government’s proposal to lower the starting age for primary school has been met with mixed reactions across political lines.
While the minister defended his post as a critique of PN’s perceived policy inconsistencies, critics argue that public figures must distinguish between historical reporting and current policy debates, warning that misrepresentations can fuel misinformation and erode public trust.
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