PAS Leader Suggests Polygamy As Solution For Women Marrying Late & Gets Blasted For It
He said although polygamy won't be the ultimate solution, it could be "a way out" for women getting married late.
By Celine Low — 23 Nov 2023, 12:04 PM
A PAS lawmaker, Datuk Seri Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, suggested polygamy as a possible solution for Muslim women getting married late
The Kubang Kerian member of parliament (MP) told the Dewan Rakyat that the government should not view the practice of polygamy as something negative, but rather as a way to address the issue of late marriage among single women.
"Whenever we bring up polygamy, we speak of it as if we are committing a crime. We must be rational. If a man is capable, qualified, and is fair, a huge moral support must be given to them," he said yesterday, 22 November.
He added that there are more than 8.4 million single women in the country. He did not disclose the source of this finding, but he stressed that it is an alarming number.
"Imagine there are 8.4 million women who are still not married. Even if [polygamy] is not the ultimate solution, it can be a way out; [for] how to solve this problem," he said.
Tuan Ibrahim's suggestion was met with criticism from female MPs
Puchong MP Yeo Bee Yin called his statements "sexist".
"Why is it that women not being married is a problem? Why is it that women marrying late is a problem but when men aren't married or marry late, it is not a problem that has to be addressed?" she questioned.
She added that women should not be deemed as having a "problem" for being unmarried, adding that it is a woman's right and personal choice to decide if she wants to get married.
Yeo also urged Tuan Ibrahim to retract his statement, however he refused, saying that his remark was not meant to be sexist.
The PAS leader said his proposal was only based on data which suggests that the second major reason why women remain single is because they face difficulty in finding a husband.
On top of that, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh took to social media to question Tuan Ibrahim's suggestion.
"A PAS lawmaker suggested polygamy to solve the problem of women getting married late. Yang Berhormat, in my opinion, marrying late isn't a problem that needs to be solved. What's the use of marriage if you're going to be neglected? There's no timeframe for when your significant other shows up in your life."
Netizens also reacted negatively to Tuan Ibrahim's suggestion, and many wondered if this was a issue worth discussing in parliament
A netizen tweeted, "Polygamy. Marrying late. Those are personal issues. Why is it being brought up in parliment? Please find a more ruminative topic to discuss."
A netizen shared that she is unmarried and is enjoying singlehood. She added, "I don't need moral support to go about my life. I can work, I can devote time to my parents, take care of my family — I am happy."
Meanwhile, another netizen said that most Malaysians can't afford to get married because of the high cost of living.
