Child Marriage in Takalar, South Sulawesi: Bride and Groom Aged 15 and 13

Photos and videos of an underage marriage in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, have circulated on social media, with reports claiming both the bride and groom were 12 years old and still in primary school. The wedding ceremony was said to have been held simply, attended only by family members of the couple.

“It is true that an underage marriage took place,” said H Ahmad Najamuddin, head of the Mangarabombang Religious Affairs Office (KUA), in a statement on Thursday (20/8).

Najamuddin said his office had conducted direct tracing and verification after the video of the child marriage became widely discussed. Based on the investigation, the marriage occurred on Saturday, 15 August 2026, at around 8.00 pm local time in Bontobaru Hamlet, Cikoang Village, Laikang District, Takalar Regency.

“According to the KUA’s examination, the marriage contract was held at the groom’s family home and was led by a resident named Muhammad Kasim Tuan Kasang,” he said.

Najamuddin denied that both children were 12 years old. Based on verification results, they were aged 15 and 13. “Based on field verification, the couple were not both 12 years old, but rather 15 and 13 respectively,” he said.

Najamuddin explained that the child marriage took place after the couple allegedly eloped, known in the Makassar language as angnyala. “After that, the matter was resolved internally by the two families without involving the local government, including the village head and village imam,” he said.

Najamuddin stressed that the information circulating on social media regarding the couple’s ages needed to be corrected. “The marriage also took place without the knowledge of the Mangarabombang KUA and did not go through the marriage application and registration process as required by law,” he concluded.