Perlis has announced plans to impose a mandatory night curfew on teenagers aged under 18 in a bid to curb social ills and instill discipline, a report said today.

Mentri Besar Shahidan Kassim was quoted by The Star as saying that the eight-hour curfew from 10pm would restrict youngsters visiting entertainment outlets such as video arcades, karaoke joints and nightclubs.

It would help check negative habits, instill higher discipline among youths and discourage the culture of hanging around aimlessly, Shahidan said.

"Those who break the curfew might have to pay a nominal fee as a deterrent," he said, adding however that teenagers escorted by parents or adults might be exempted.

Polygamy

The new proposal came on the heels of a controversial state move seen as encouraging polygamy among Muslim men.

Shahidan came under fire recently from women's groups for proposing to do away with the need to obtain a first wife's written consent to a second marriage to stop men flocking across the border to marry again in less-restrictive Thailand.

Islam permits a man to marry four wives but he generally needs the first wife's approval and must prove he has the financial means and ability to treat all wives equally.

Malaysian men often try to escape these strict requirements and get hitched in the Muslim parts of southern Thailand without any such fuss.