She also revealed the frivolous reasons behind some divorces, including snoring, shopping and doing laundry at night.
According to a study by the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), she said, the first five years of marriage were among the most challenging.
“Among the main reasons for divorce for men is that there is no understanding (56.2%), an unfaithful wife (11.8%) and meddling in-laws (10%).
“For the women, 38% cite a lack of understanding, an unfaithful husband (20.5%) and an irresponsible husband (15.2%).”
She said while data on Muslim couples who divorced within five years was still being collected from the states, in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan, there were 2,932 cases between 2013 and 2017.
Yeoh (PH-Segambut) was responding to Noor Amin Ahmad (PH-Kangar) who asked for the number of divorces within five years according to state as well as the underlying factors.
She referred to an FMT report on frivolous reasons for divorce among young couples, based on data from the Selangor Syariah Judiciary Department.
“Among them are, wives who like to go on trips, and wives who wash clothes at night. I too wash clothes at night, but this is one of the reasons given, along with wives who like to eat in the car.
“There’s also different political ideologies, a husband’s low salary, a partner who snores and partners who like to shop,” she said to laughter from the floor.
Deputy Speaker Nga Kor Ming than jokingly told Yeoh not to wash her clothes at night anymore.
“Send them to the laundromat,” he said, but Yeoh replied that she had no choice.
“What can I do, Parliament sessions always end at night.”
She also revealed statistics from the National Registration Department showing that Johor has the highest divorce rate for non-Muslims.
Between 2013 and 2017, a total of 14,440 divorce cases were recorded for non-Muslims, with Johor recording 2,860 cases followed by the federal territories (2,771 cases) and Selangor (1,858 cases).
Yeoh said Putrajaya, through the ministry, would carry out initiatives like pre-marriage courses as part of efforts to reduce the divorce rate in the country.