THE Society for Rights of Indigenous Peoples of Sarawak (Scrips) has warned that men who have sex with girls below age 18 via "traditional marriages" could be cited for statutory rape under civil law.
Scrips Secretary General Michael Jok said there is a big clash between "traditional" and civil laws on this sensitive issue in Sarawak.
He said there is a fine line dividing the two sets of laws in Sarawak.
"According to traditional marriages, as practised for centuries in longhouses and kampungs, there is no law to say men cannot get married to girls below 18 or have sexual relations with these teens.
"Civil law however said sex with girls aged below 18 is legally defined as statutory rape. Civil law also says the legal age for marriage is 18 and above.
"There is thus a big clash between civil and traditional laws. Our advice to men is to stay away from marriages or sex with teenage girls.
"Get married to adults, not teenagers, because the civil law on marriages must be upheld as higher than traditional laws.
"This is to ensure the rights and welfare of teenagers are protected by the government," he said.
Jok is a native rights activist with wide knowledge of native community issues in Sarawak.
It was recently reported that a 44-year-old man was arrested with a 14-year-old girl in Sibu for dumping a newborn baby boy into a vegetable basket in the streets.
The duo have been placed under remand pending further investigations. - November 2, 2024
