Gov't mulls compatibility test to prevent divorce
PARLIAMENT | The government is considering introducing a compatibility test for couples to prevent marriages ending up in divorce, according to Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh...
PARLIAMENT | The government is considering introducing a compatibility test for couples to prevent marriages ending up in divorce, according to Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh.
Answering a question from Jalaluddin Alias (BN-Jelebu), Yeoh said divorce rates are highest among couples aged 30 and 34.
"It was found in the first five years of marriage that most couples rush into marriage without first knowing themselves or their partners well enough.
“So we are contemplating coming up with a compatibility test for singles, those looking at getting married, while still dating, so they can find out if that person (their partner) is compatible” she added.
In a Twitter post later, Yeoh explained it was not an exam which must be passed in order to get married.
“We are talking about personality quiz and discovery about self and partner in the pre-marital stage because more than 30 percent of divorces (happen) within the first five years of marriage. A tool to help. Not compulsory. Not to regulate your decision to marry,” she said.
In the Dewan Rakyat, Yeoh said the fifth Malaysian Population and Family Survey, conducted in 2014, on the factors for divorce and separation of young couples across the country found a third of women contributed this to lack of understanding with their partners, followed by cheating and then irresponsible spouses.
Meanwhile, she said more than half the men survey attributed separation to a lack of understanding.
This is followed by interference by in-laws and cheating spouses.
She later told reporters in the Parliament lobby that the compatibility test would be based on marriage counselling questionnaires, similar to a personality test for young dating couples.
Yeoh also revealed data from National Registration Department (NRD) marriage tribunal records which indicated that between 2013 and May 31 this year, the three main problems cited by applicants were financial (17,359 cases), third party interference (6,574 cases) and emotional and physical abuse (4,884 cases).
The minister told the House that Selangor and Johor recorded the highest number of divorce cases for both Muslims and non-Muslims in the country.
Selangor recorded 2,068 divorces among non-Muslim couples and 8,794 cases among Muslim couples while Johor recorded 1,526 cases divorces among non-Muslims and 4,441 divorces among Muslims.
Even so, Yeoh said this could also be attributed to the fact that both states have a high population.
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