JOHOR BARU: The state has recorded more than 200 divorce cases involving young couples every month this year, says Johor Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid.
The Johor Islamic Religious Department (JAINJ) has developed an intervention plan by providing counselling sessions to couples to prevent this number from escalating, he added.
“We do not have the exact figure, but we are worried that if this issue is left unchecked, it will continue to escalate.
“Which is why, starting this year, JAINJ has conducted a follow-up programme for every couple that has been married under the department.
“We will call up all young couples who have been married from six months onwards to check on them,” he said after attending the mass wedding programme at Danga Bay Convention Centre, here, on Saturday.
He added that the counselling session will also be offered to couples who have been married for longer if they need it.
Mohd Fared said a total of 155 couples were solemnised under the annual mass wedding event held by JAINJ.
“This is the second time we have organised this large-scale event after the first one in 2021.
“For this year, the Johor state government has allocated RM500,000 to help these young couples ease their marriage expenses,” he said, adding that the programme will continued next year.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, Mohd Fared said that JAINJ has called up the contractor involved in the development of the Taman Pulai Indah mosque, where two panels of the ceiling fell while being repaired.
He added that the incident occurred on Thursday around 10.30pm when no visitors were around.
“The contractors were in the midst of removing the cornice when two of the panels fell.
“There is a bit of confusion as there were claims that the entire ceiling had caved in, which was untrue. The ceiling was also scheduled to be removed.
“The good news is that there were no casualties, and it occurred after the Isyak prayer,” he said, adding that the mosque was completed in 2017 and is in the middle of upgrading works.
“For the time being, all prayer activities will be conducted in the open area outside the main hall and under the tent provided.
“JAINJ, together with the Public Works Department, will carry out the repairs as soon as the investigations into the case are over,” he said.
