PETALING JAYA: A total of 445 teenagers dropped out of school last year to get married, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Religious Affairs Minister Idris Ahmad said most of them came from Sarawak, followed by Sabah, and Kelantan.
“All underage marriage applications for Muslims were made in the shariah high court.
“The Islamic Family Law Enactment of the states stipulates that any applicant under the minimum age to get married must first obtain permission from a syarie judge,” Idris said in a reply posted on the Parliament website.
Meanwhile, the Youth and Sports Ministry has today expressed concern over the girls dropping out of school to get married at an early age.
Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Faizal Azumu urged the government to boost programmes that would occupy their time and give them better working opportunities in the future, rather than allowing them to get married at such a young age.
“We need to strengthen and increase such programmes and I think these will include programmes introduced by my ministry with the support of all, including community leaders,” the Minister told the Dewan Rakyat.
445 youn girls were reported to have left school to get married between 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic.
