Vice President Ma'ruf Amin Asks The Supreme Court Not To Oblate Early Marriage Dispensation Letters

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin accompanied by Bengkulu Governor Rohidin Mersyah (left) and Acting Regent of Central Bengkulu Heryandi Roni (right)/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin hopes that the Supreme Court (MA) will not promote marriage dispensation letters for couples who have an early marriage. "Indeed, there is a problem of dispensation that is allowed. Therefore (the provision of dispensation) must be carried out selectively. Indeed, it is permissible, but don't open it, don't sell everything," said Vice President Ma'ruf Amin in Central Bengkulu, Antara, Thursday, May 4. Marriage dispensation is a relief given by religious courts to prospective brides and grooms who are not yet 19 years old to have a marriage. This is regulated in Law (UU) Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning Marriage. Even though early marriage or marriage by men and women who are not yet 19 years old is one of the causes of stunting which is one of the problems that the government wants to reduce in the level of prevalence. "Therefore, it must be really selective and verified so that not everyone asks for it to be allowed. Otherwise, later the regulation can (get dispensation). Because if everyone is allowed, that's the rule itself so that it is biased even though (the dispensation) is only an exception," said the Vice President. In addition, the Vice President said that the local government (Pemda) and the central government would provide education about the impact of early marriage. "Indeed, there is an understanding that religiously early marriage is not prohibited. The problem is not whether religion is prohibited or not, but the benefit of early marriage, which is not beneficial," said the Vice President. The vice president also emphasized that early marriage must be prevented. "Even religiously, so that we don't do anything that doesn't bring harm, even brings harm. Early marriage, even though there is no prohibition, still brings harm or bad consequences. That must be educated," he said. Previously, Komnas Perempuan noted that throughout 2021 there were 59,709 cases of early marriage that were given dispensation by the court. This number decreased slightly compared to 2020, which was 64,211 cases, but this figure is still very high compared to 2019 which amounted to 23,126 child marriages. For example, the application for marriage dispensation to the Ponorogo Religious Court (PA) in 2022 has 191 cases. Of these, the court decided as many as 176 cases. The first cause of dating was 66 cases. Then there are 115 cases of pregnancy and there are 10 cases because the woman has given birth. The marriage dispensation rate in 2022 actually decreases when compared to 2021 where there are 266 marriage dispensation applications and 258 cases decided. Meanwhile, in other places, PA Bandung noted that the application for marriage dispensation in 2022 reached 143 cases, down from the previous year 193 cases and in 2020 219 cases. Most of the reasons for the dispensation of marriage are due to pregnancy outside of marriage aged 17-18 years even though there are also under the age of 16 years and the average dropout of elementary or junior high school.

The requirements for marriage dispensation include submitting proof of the identity of parents in the form of ID cards, family cards (KK), marriage books, diplomas and rejection letters from KUA.