The marriage between an 11-year-old girl and a 41-year-old man, which went viral on Malaysian social media recently, although conducted in Narathiwat, was carried out without the permission of the Islamic religious council there.

The Narathiwat Islamic Religious Council president, Safei Cheklah, said the couple were married by an imam in Kampung Padang Nyor, Mukim Munok, Sungai Golok, in Narathiwat.

“They were married by the imam without permission from the council,” he told reporters after a meeting to discuss the marriage.

He said the girl was given away for the marriage by her biological father. Both the girl’s parents are said to be Thai citizens.

According to Safei, the marriage was not wrong in terms of syariah law, but an offence according to Malaysian civil law.

- Bernama