Only Selangor and Kedah have raised the minimum marriage age for Muslims to 18, with other states yet to make similar changes, the Dewan Rakyat was told.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the government intended to introduce the change gradually through discussions and cooperation with state governments.
She said any amendments in other states, including Melaka, would depend on the consideration and legislative processes of their respective state authorities, as Islamic law falls under state jurisdiction.
Nancy was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang).
She added that her ministry was engaging state religious authorities, relevant agencies and stakeholders to discuss harmonising the minimum marriage age nationwide and introducing appropriate safeguards.
The discussions would also highlight the potential impact of underage marriage on children’s education, health, safety and future opportunities.
On the latest figures, Nancy said 1,361 marriages involving individuals below 18 were recorded in 2024, covering civil, syariah and customary marriages.
This marked an increase from 933 cases in 2023, although the figure remained below the 1,497 cases recorded in 2019.
She said two ongoing studies — an evaluation of the National Strategic Plan in Handling the Causes of Child Marriage (2020-2025) and a Malaysian Social Institute study on risk and protective factors — were expected to be completed early next year.
Nancy said the ministry considered it more appropriate to present its initial findings after both studies had been completed and reviewed.
Their findings would help identify gaps in implementation, establish priorities for further action with relevant agencies and assess the resources required.
She added that the ministry was working with the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), adhering to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and collaborating with other agencies and international organisations in conducting the studies.
