He said action would be taken if it was proven that she had had sex as provided under Section 375 of the Penal Code since she was a minor. - APA KES?!

'Girl can marry with court OK'

2010/04/01

By Nadia Badarudin

ALOR STAR: A 15-year-old girl who had left her parents' home to stay with her boyfriend's family can marry if she gets the approval of the syariah court.

The runaway, Halimaton Abd Rashid, must first get the permission of the court, said state Islamic Religious Department director Datuk Khairuddin Zin.

Under the Kedah Islamic Family Law Enactment 2008, marriage is allowed for a boy below the age of 18, or a girl below the age of 16 provided he or she has been granted permission by the syariah court.

"In Halimaton's case, she must get the permission of the Baling Syariah Court before she can apply to have her marriage solemnised by officials approved by the department," he said when asked about the Form Three student of Sekolah Parit Panjang in Baling who created a stir after she left home to stay with her boyfriend's family last week.

Khairuddin said the court would call Halimaton, from Kampung Lanai in Baling, and her family to attend a special hearing.

"If Halimaton can give strong and justifiable reasons to be allowed to marry and her family does not object, the court will grant her the permission"

Halimaton, one of the state's top Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah scorers in 2007, is now staying with her 19-year-old boyfriend's family in Langkawi.

Her mother, Normah Abd Mutalib, 46, had claimed that she was abducted but Halimaton refuted her claim.

Langkawi district police chief Superintendent Ishak Hassan said Halimaton would be re-united with her family soon.

He said action would be taken if it was proven that she had had sex as provided under Section 375 of the Penal Code since she was a minor.