PETALING JAYA: The National Registration Department's (NRD) requirement that a non-Muslim married couple must attend a marriage tribunal when seeking a divorce can put domestic violence survivors in danger, says the Women's Aid Organisation (WAO). The first involves couples living separately who are required, under Section 106(2) of the Law Reform Marriage and Divorce Act 1976 (LRA), to attend a marriage tribunal in the location where they last resided together. This requirement, WAO said, could be "harmful to the mental and physical well-being" of domestic violence survivors. WAO said this was because currently, no security measures had been adopted to ensure the safety of domestic violence survivors. It added that the NRD must revise its existing procedures and ensure it is doing its part to guarantee the safety of domestic violence survivors.

Source: The Star December 20, 2018 07:07 UTC