Mr Shabudin Yahaya also told Parliament in Kuala Lumpur that some girls as young as nine were ‘physically and spiritually’ ready for marriage.
‘When we discuss 12 and 15 year olds, we don’t see their physical bodies because some children aged 12 or 15, their bodies are like 18-year-old women,’ he said.
Mr Shabudin, a former Shariah court judge, pointed out that some girls reached puberty when they were as young as nine, making them physically and spiritually ready for marriage - ‘so it’s not impossible for them to get married.'
And he said there was nothing wrong with a rape victim marrying her rapist as this could serve as a remedy to an increasing number of social problems.
The Star newspaper reported that Mr Shabudin made his comments when debating the Sexual Offences Against Children Bill 2017 after several opposition lawmakers suggested amending it to include child marriages as an offence.
Agreeing that rape is a criminal offence, Mr Shabudin said the rapist and the victim should be ‘given a second chance to turn a new leaf in life.
‘Perhaps through marriage they can lead a healthier, better life - and the person who was raped does not necessarily have a bleak future. [Daily Mail] Read more
