Kota Bharu
(AsiaNews) - At the end of the year, the Malaysian authorities of the State of
Kelantan elect the best example of a polygamous family in the country. The
initiative, which includes more than 200 competitors , was initiated in 2012 to
reduce court cases arising from complaints of multiple wives married to the
same man .
Malaysian
Islamic law recognizes polygamy as legal practice up to a maximum of 4 women ,
but only with the consent of previous wives and the permission of the court. While
in Southeast Asia polygamists represent 2 % of the male population , the
northern regions of Malaysia registered a Muslim presence equal to 90 % of the
population , and in the state of Kelantan alone there are at least 1,000 men
who marry more than once a ' year.
In
2012, the growing number of lawsuits arising from the complaint of
disrespectful behavior on the part of a husband, has led the authorities in
Kota Bharu - Kelantan 's capital - to devise a measure to increase respect for
women but not which does not impact dramatically on Islamic law . According
to the 39 year-old lawyer Adibah Jodi , a member of the Sisters of Islam ,
engaged in the protection of women's rights, "the program is irrelevant
and the most urgent task for the government should be to achieve true equality
of the sexes ."
In
addition to some public appearances, the "model polygamous husband"
will be awarded with a sum of 31 thousand ringgit (about 310 dollars). The
main evaluation criteria - based on the evidence gathered by family members -
will be commitment in the workplace, behavior in the family context and the
amount of gifts that a man makes to his wives.