KUALA LUMPUR – Only Selangor and Kedah have amended their respective laws to raise the minimum marriage age for Muslims to 18, while similar changes in other states remain subject to deliberations and legislative processes.
Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri said the federal government would continue working with state administrations to establish a uniform minimum marriage age nationwide, Bernama reported.
She said the effort, led by her ministry, required close engagement with state religious authorities, relevant agencies and other stakeholders, given that Islamic family law falls under state jurisdiction.
“We are trying to achieve uniformity nationwide, but since marriage matters fall under state jurisdiction, we will make every effort to ensure that all states work together with the federal government and agree on how to address underage marriage.
“The Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development has been highlighting the risks associated with underage marriage, particularly its impact on children’s education, health, safety and future opportunities, during engagement sessions with state governments,” she said during the Dewan Rakyat question-and-answer session today.
She was responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Siti Zailah Mohd Yusoff (PN-Rantau Panjang), who sought an update on the National Strategic Plan to Address the Causes of Underage Marriage (2020-2025) and efforts to harmonise the minimum legal marriage age across the country.
Nancy said 1,361 underage marriages were recorded in 2024, up from 923 in 2023 but lower than the 1,467 cases reported in 2019.
The figures covered marriages registered under civil, Syariah and customary laws.
However, she said the higher number recorded in 2024 was partly attributable to more systematic data collection in Sarawak, rather than necessarily reflecting an increase in the actual incidence of underage marriage.
Nancy added that two studies were expected to be completed by early 2027 to assess the issue further.
One will evaluate the effectiveness of the national strategic plan, while the other will examine the risk factors contributing to underage marriage and explore preventive measures.
She said the findings would help the government identify shortcomings in the plan’s implementation and formulate more focused, evidence-based interventions. – November 11, 2026