Married, but obsessed with dating apps?
The issue of marriage breaking up due to involvement with a third party, especially those met through dating apps, is becoming increasingly serious.
SHAH ALAM - Malaysia is currently facing an influx of dating apps that are also being used by married individuals, potentially leading to the breakdown of marriages.
A survey found that there are at least 7.38 million users of these apps in the country, based on the number of downloads of the 10 most popular dating apps in 2022.
According to Statista.com, the most used dating app in Malaysia are Omi, followed by Litmatch, Tinder, Heat Up, TanTan, Fizu, Lamour, Melo, Bumble and Cinta.
These apps allow individuals to find partners online, either to look for a spouse, build romantic relationships or simply to form friendships.
Unfortunately, these apps are also being used by married couples who initially do it for fun but eventually end up in illicit relationships.
Malaysian Muslim Lawyers Association president Muhamad Hisham Marzuki said the issue of marriage breaking up due to involvement with a third party, especially those met through dating apps, is becoming increasingly serious.
He stated that these platforms are too easily accessible without any controls, especially since the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
“Data from the Statistics Department shows that there were 43,936 divorce cases in 2021, increasing to 62,890 in 2022, with the highest number among Muslim couples. This is based on official figures, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.
Hisham added that one of the causes of divorce is the presence of a third party whom they met through dating apps.
“There are cases where a wife has discovered her husband’s conversations with another woman through a dating app. She claims that her husband met with the woman and had an affair. Out of extreme anger, the husband pronounced the divorce outside of court.
“The thrill of engaging in this fantasy world has encouraged couples to try these apps,” he said.
He added that this issue is very worrying as it affects the harmony of the household, causing children to become victims.
Therefore, Hisham suggested that the government draft new laws under the Penal Code to prevent divorces by giving legal power concerning third parties in marriages.
He said that Section 498 of the Penal Code, which previously had similar provisions, can no longer be used after the Federal Court ruled it unconstitutional.
“The court has annulled Section 498 of the Penal Code, and currently, there is no federal law related to this offence. However, provisions still exist under state Syariah criminal enactments or acts.
“Section 498 needs to be reviewed so that other preventive laws can be applied,” he added.
Last Dec, the Federal Court ruled that Section 498 contradicted Article 8(2) of the Federal Constitution as it unlawfully discriminated based on gender.
