On 22 November 2023, PAS politician Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man proposed polygamy as a solution for unmarried women aged 30 and above. The Kubang-Kerian MP proposed this after he told Dewan Rakyat that the statistics from the 2010 census showed that there were 4.8 million unmarried women aged 30 and above.
Does he seriously think that all those women remained unmarried because they couldn't find a husband candidate or in millennial terms, husband material? The problem with Tuan Ibrahim's solution is that it seeks to solve a problem that doesn't exist - that 4.8 million women remain unmarried because they couldn't find someone. This can't be further from the truth.
Here are a few reasons why those women remain unmarried:
1. Increase in divorces
According to the latest marriage and divorces statistics in Malaysia, there was a 43.1% increase in the number of divorces last year. Muslim divorces increased from 31,650 cases in 2021 to 46,138 in 2022, an increase of 45.8%. What about non-Muslim divorces? It can't be worse, right? WRONG. Non-Muslim divorces saw a similar pattern; from 12,286 cases in 2021 to 16,752 cases in 2022.
With the number of divorces increasing year by year, who wants to get married? Here's an analogy: if I told you that every time you fly on a plane, there is a 43.1% chance you will not arrive safely, you will think twice about buying that plane ticket to Bali. Who wants to get married when divorce papers await you at the end? That your plane might ultimately crash?
2. Stagnant wages and increased cost of living
Malaysia has faced issues in regard to wages remaining stagnant over the past decade. Stagnant wages in Malaysia can be attributed to several factors: increased competition from globalization and our education system struggling to adapt to the ever-changing world among other things.
The cost of living is increasing as we speak - so much so that Malaysians' main concern this year is the cost of living. With wages not increasing anytime soon and the cost of living going ever higher, who wants to get married? Plus, most of the time, getting married entails having a child or two, with stagnant wages and the increase of cost of living, could any of them AFFORD to take care of that child financial-wise?
3. Malaysian workplaces are not conducive for married women
According to the UN Resident Coordinator, women make up 50% of the population in Malaysia and yet, we have one of the lowest female labour force participation rates among upper-income countries. There are many factors but one of which is family-related responsibilities. 60.2% of women aren’t in the labour force because of unpaid care duties which include housework, eldercare and of course, childcare.
So if you are a woman looking to advance or at least keep your career, don't get married. Until Malaysian employers come together to provide better career prospects, flexible working hours and family support policies for married women in the workplace, ladies, you may remain single all you want.
4. Personal choice
It may be hard to fathom this for a man of power such as Tuan Ibrahim but has it ever crossed his mind that women might WANT to stay single? Not everyone wants to get married. Some may enjoy the freedom and independence that comes with being single - you are not tied down to any person and you can do whatever your heart desires.
There is absolutely no relationship drama when you are single. No arguments over what to have for dinner. No arguments over who you can see and can't. No arguments over how you spend your money. No argument over how much time you spend at work or on a hobby. Do you see where I am getting at?
Tuan Ibrahim's proposed solution shows just how out of touch he is with the populace especially the women of this country. Can we expect him to be the voice of the people if he can't even understand the problems we face on a day-to-day basis? That he proposed a solution to a problem that doesn't exist? With more pressing issues that plagued our nation such as corruption and Ringgit dropping to an all-time low, perhaps he should think of highlighting these issues on the Dewan Rakyat instead of mulling over why women are not getting married.
Aaron Colt 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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