"9-Year-Old Girls Are Ready For Marriage; It Isn't A Sin To Marry Your Rapist" - Malaysian Lawmaker Causes Outrage

A Malaysian member of parliament, Tasek Gelugor, has caused outrage on social media over his comment that girls as young as nine were “physically” ready for marriage with even some opposition politicians asking for him to be fired.

He made the comment today as Malaysia passed a law on sexual offenses against children without criminalizing child marriage.

Gelugor, a member of the Barisan Nasional coalition, made the comment in response to a proposal by an opposition member of parliament to amend the Sexual Offenses Against Children bill to include a ban on child marriages.

Tasek said during a debate on the bill;

“They reach puberty at the age of nine or 12. And at that time, their body is already akin to them being 18 years old. 

“So physically and spiritually, it is not a barrier for the girl to marry,” 

He also said there was “nothing wrong” with a rape victim marrying her rapist as she would then not face a “bleak future”.