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The government is working on new Shariah laws that would make it crystal clear: Muslim adults must financially support their elderly or dependent parents. According to Religious Affairs Minister Na’im Mokhtar, this includes empowering the Shariah courts to order parental maintenance (nafkah) and amending the Islamic Family Law (Federal Territories) Act 1984.
A good Idea… in theory. But let me be skeptical for a minute.
On paper, this new Shariah law sounds great - asking adult children to support their elderly parents. Honestly, it shouldn’t even need to be a law. It should be basic humanity. And yes, it’s something we could and should introduce to everyone, Muslims and non-Muslims. Respecting our elders is not a religious value - it’s a human one.
But before we clap and say “Baguslah, finally!” can we pause for a moment and ask the one question Malaysians are very good at avoiding: can we actually trust the system to enforce this?
Because let’s be honest - for years, Muslim single mothers have been dragging their tired bodies to the Syariah courts begging their ex-husbands to pay child support. Not asking for a bungalow in Damansara. Not demanding a Mercedes. Just basic nafkah. Pampers. Baby formula. School shoes.
And what happens?
The ex-husband walks in, says the magic sentence - “Saya tak mampu.”
What then? Case dismissed. Just like that.
Never mind that this same man is fully capable of getting remarried, producing two extra children, buying a brand new car, and posting holiday photos from Langkawi. Apparently, the only thing he “cannot afford” in life… is his first family.
So now we want to introduce a law forcing adult children to support their parents. Okay. Fine. But let’s be real lah - if the courts can’t even get basic child support right, what makes us think they can handle elderly-parent support?
Are we going to see makciks and pakciks limping to court in their 70s and 80s, standing in the same line single mothers have stood in for decades… only to be told:
“Anak puan tak mampu.”
“Tunggu tarikh lain.”
“Dokumen tak lengkap.”
Is that what we want?
Because if the current pattern continues, here’s what we’ll see next - single mothers pleading for child support and elderly parents pleading for maintenance.
Meanwhile, the irresponsible adults who abandon their children and their parents… walk around free, marrying again, collecting more family members like Pokémon cards.
My point is simple - before we introduce new “duties,” maybe enforce the existing ones first.
Show us that the system works. Show us that Shariah courts can and will protect the vulnerable - children, single mothers, elderly parents.
Until then, let’s not pretend a new law automatically means new justice. Because in Malaysia, drafting laws is easy. Enforcing them? Ah… that one masih “dalam kajian.”
Fa Abdul (fa.abdul.penang@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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