Social ills caused by disobedient wives, say Obedient Wives Club

By Isabelle Lai

"Altogether we have 16 children in our household. But my husband is a happy man, you can see it from his actions," she added.

She said the Ikhwan Polygamy Club had over 1,000 members comprising husbands and wives. The average number of children per polygamous household ranged from four to 26.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil, in an immediate reaction, said she was saddened by the development, adding that it did not reflect the vast progress made by local Muslim womenfolk.

"Unfortunately even today, there are still many Muslim women who are ignorant of their rights or culturally inhibited to exercise their rights in full," she said.

Sisters in Islam acting executive director Ratna Osman said Islam advocated marriages based on mutual cooperation and respect.

"Abusive men often use women's behaviour as a sick justification but in the end, their actions are their responsibility," she said.

-The Star/Asia News Network