SHAH ALAM: Selangor recorded 1,617 polygamous marriages without permission from 2019 until last year.

Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the number was double the number of applicants who applied for polygamy registration, which was 859 cases in the same period.

He said among the reasons why a couple chooses to get married outside the country without permission, is because the husband was afraid to inform his intention to his wife, apart from the complicated procedure to apply for polygamy.

"The procedure for polygamy is actually simple. Just go to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) and fill out a form and follow the specific standard operating procedure. The reason for this is to ensure that he (the husband) is fair, capable physically, financially and healthy.

"We cannot get married to another woman and at the same time disregard our responsibility to our existing wife," he told reporters after a Family Law forum at Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Mosque, today.

Abdul Aziz also said that a polygamous marriage without consent is also an offence under Section 124 of the Islamic Family Law Enactment (Selangor State) 2003 which provides for a fine not exceeding RM1,000 or imprisonment not exceeding six months or both.

In fact, those who conspire to commit polygamy without permission can also face the same punishment.

Commenting on the cancellation of a religious talk by Ustaz Azhar Idrus in Selangor recently, and claims that the mosque committee had submitted an application for an exemption to allow the popular speaker to give a talk, he said there was no special treatment given to any individual to obtain credentials to give religious talks in the state.

"They made an application asking for an exemption (for Ustaz Azhar Idrus) but JAIS was firm in not giving an exemption to him because the preacher did not fulfil the conditions set by JAIS," he said.

Abdul Aziz also encouraged anyone who is interested to give a talk in the state to apply to JAIS via its official website.

-- BERNAMA