I submitted a proposal to amend Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017 to ban child marriage.
More than 9,000 child marriages have been recorded in Malaysia in the time of five years.
When we talk about sexual crime against children, whether of not they consent to it is completely irrelevant. Because they do not have the capacity to consent, also because they can be sexually groomed and therefore willingly consent to it.
Pedophile is someone who is sexually attracted to children. Richard Huckle also planned to marry one of his victim. Pedophile is a criminal. But those who marry an underage girls are not?
Muslim majority countries like Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, the minimum age for marriage for both boys and girls are 18 year old.
For the best interest of the children, can we not put aside our political and religious differences?
I hope my proposal can receive bipartisan support. And for those who do not support, I only have one question for them: do they want to see their daughter or granddaughter to enter marriage at the age of 10?
Girls are not brides.