COMMENT | Women's Ministry a part-time marriage counselling outfit?

COMMENT | Did you know that before a Muslim couple can marry, it is compulsory for them to attend a two-day pre-marriage course? The English course is more expensive than the one conducted in Malay, and probably costs RM155 per person for the full-day event (9am to 5pm).

The Malay course is held in a hall where the two sexes are separated. The one in English is held in a smaller room where couples can sit next to their partners.

Different lecturers touch on various topics. Handouts are provided, but participants find that only the topic about registering the marriage is useful. Participants receive certificates of attendance and feedback is discouraged.

Most couples simply endure the two days of mind-numbing talks because it was, as one young man said, "No certificate, no marriage."

Another friend said that her daughter, a fresh graduate from a Western university, stormed off, after disagreeing with many of the things the instructor said.

In one talk about divorce, the lecturer boasted that he had been divorced five times, and was working on his sixth. He was proud that he had plenty of information to share with the group.

He seems to be the one in most need of the pre-marriage course. Perhaps, he did attend the course and is the perfect example that the course is...