Reacting to the international outrage caused by the “marriage” of an 11-year-old girl to a 41-year-old man purported to be the father of her friends, a PAS (conservative Islamic party) leader has said that LGBTQ+ issues are far more important to the nation’s moral fabric.
Yes. You’ve read that correctly. In the world of Kelantan’s deputy chief minister Datuk Mohd Amar Nik Abdullah, consenting sex between two adults is far more pertinent than an actual child being married off to a man who had seemingly been grooming her since she first “fell in love” with him, at nine years old.
Mohd Amar, speaking at an executive council meeting yesterday afternoon, said issues involving lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, as well as anyone partaking in “illicit sex,” are what people should really be focusing on. Not, we repeat, an 11-year-old being married off to a middle-aged man.
Adding that the issue of child marriage was not wrong in terms of religion (Islam), and that it was further being sensationalized by making it a national issue. He referred to it as “an isolated case.”
Utilizing logic flimsier than a cheap napkin, he mused that “not everyone marries an 11-year-old child,” [Ed. note: There are no prizes for that, sir] but collectively LGBTQ+ issues, illicit sex and having children out of wedlock were of far greater concern. “So much so it has become a phenomenon in the country. This should be a concern to the government and society.”
He then washed his hands of the matter, explaining that while the man in question was from Kelantan, the marriage happened outside of the country, as the girl is Thai. Child rights experts have stated that the man has also breached Thai laws in his betrothal to a child.
Mohd Amar has said that any action taken against the man will be done by the Kelantan Islamic Religious Affairs Department, not the state government.
We’ll remind you he already believes that child marriage isn’t actually wrong in Islam.
Great. Good to know that you have your priorities in order, Kelantan.
