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Malaysians divorce by text message

Staff, CNET Asia CNETAsia

Published: 28 Jul 2003 12:16 BST

In India, text messages can be used to pair people up, but in Malaysia, messages can be used to divorce.

Parents of children of suitable age can register their profiles with a mobile operator in India, which then tries to match them, according to a report from the Associated Press.

The free service from operator RPG Cellular arranges meetings between parents if their children are found to match, said the report.

Later, as MMS (multimedia messaging) becomes more widespread in India, pictures and horoscopes may also be shared, according to the report.

Text messaging has been a hit in India, where virtual dating has been a mobile data "killer app".

The mobile dating service resembles instant messaging software such as ICQ and Yahoo Messenger, albeit in a text-only menu interface. It allows men and women to create a profile, search for dates and start conversations through SMS messages.

But in Malaysia, a landmark ruling by the Islamic Syariah Court has stated that an SMS (short message service) is valid as a statement of divorce if it is verified in court, according to the daily The Star.

The court was considering a high-profile divorce case in which a man sent a text message stating his desire to divorce to his wife of 18 months. The woman was asking that the statement of divorce be invalidated as the method in which it was delivered was non-traditional.

Under Islamic law in Malaysia, a man can divorce his wife as long as he states his intent clearly. Traditionally, this has meant a face-to-face verbal exchange, but new technology has led to Islamic scholars seeking fresh interpretations.

However, the Malaysian Women and Family Development minister Shahrisat Jalil said last week that SMS divorces are an "insult" to women, according to the report.

"If the wedding is carried out in a respectful manner, a divorce should also be carried out the same way," she was quoted as saying.

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Could it be that ISP’s are making this out to be a bigger problem than it actually is? We’re a small country with an internet penetration of less than 60%, for every Youtuber there’s someone who only uses the internet to check their emails, more people surf on their mobile handsets than a few years ago. Surely things should even themselves up.