Malaysian authorities are investigating the marriage of an 11-year-old Thai girl to a 41-year-old Malaysian Muslim that has sparked public outrage and calls for child brides to be banned.
Rubber scrap dealer Che Abdul Karim Che Abdul Hamid secretly wed the girl as his third wife in Thailand, and the union became public after one of his wives lodged a complaint with police.
Muslim girls under the minimum legal marriage age of 16 can wed with the consent of the Shariah court and their parents. Muslim men in Malaysia can marry four wives.
Deputy Prime Minister Wan Azizah Wan Ismail has said the marriage was illegal as it had not been approved by the Shariah court. She was meeting officials on Monday to discuss the issue, her aide said.
Photos on social media showed the groom holding the girl’s hand after the marriage ceremony. [ITV] Read more
