COMMENT | Deputy Prime Minister and the Women, Family and Community Development minister, Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, recently made a statement requesting members the public who are harshly criticising child marriage cases in the country to try understand the predicament the parents of the child are in.

“If you understand the way they live, their way of life, you would have a little bit of understanding of why it happens,” she said, after the latest case of child marriage in Kelantan, between a 15-year-old girl and a 44-year-old man, was reported.

I suppose Wan Azizah was referring to the financial difficulties faced by the parents, thus she understands their decision to try to “reduce their burden” by giving up their child for marriage, especially since their religious beliefs permit it.

Well, if that is her opinion, then be it. However, I beg to differ.

I believe child marriage happens for one reason and one reason only. And that reason has nothing to do with a family's financial constraints. Nor does it have anything to do with religious beliefs.

Quite frankly, I believe child marriage happens because parents think they own their children...