How "marriages" of very young girls in Sarawak are being carried out is an issue of deep concern to the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam).
The rights of these young girls are often neglected when they are subjected to traditional methods of marriage when they are not mature enough, said Sarawak Suhakam Commissioner Dr Chew Chee Ming.
Speaking at a forum with community organisations in Kuching, he said Sarawak is recording very high rates of such marriages of girls at very young ages.
"Sarawak is one of the states recording very high rates of marriages of very young girls.
"Based on international laws, these are considered child marriages.
"Such things keep happening and very young girls keep getting pregnant.
"Many got pregnant first and then are compelled to marry the man who got her pregnant.
"Such situations should not be acceptable but sadly there are deep-rooted traditional issues that are hard to tackle," he said.
Dr Chew said all community organisations must do more to try to educate the young to deter such marriages and sexual relations of those who are still immature.
On Sept 18, the Sarawak Women for Women Society called on the state government to implement laws to deter young girls from getting married so as to reduce the high number of cases of teenage pregnancies now.
Sarawak Minister for Women, Community Development and Early Childhood Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah had said the Society had met with her and had officially proposed that marriages below age 18 be deterred. - September 27, 2024
.JPG)
