KOTA BARU- The Kelantan Government is thinking of imposing heavier penalties like whipping or jail sentences on married couples who divorce without valid grounds.

State Women Development, Family and Health Committee chairman Wan Ubaidah Omar said stringent enforcement and heavier penalties would help keep the divorce rate down.

"The Government is willing to consider the suggestion (whipping and jail sentences) if it can help reduce the divorce rate," she said during question-and-answer time at the Kelantan State Assembly in Kota Darul Naim here yesterday.

Wan Ubaidah (PAS-Kijang) was replying to a supplementary question by Hassan Mahmood (PAS-awang), who asked whether the Government intended to introduce jail or whipping sentences for those who divorced with "no probable reasons".

Hassan did not say what he meant by "no probable reasons".

Earlier, Wan Ubaidah, in reply to the original question by Tuan Zamri Tuan Zakaria (PKR-Guchil), said Kelantan was fourth among states in the number of divorces cases with the divorce rate of 14.67% between 2005 and 2010.

Without mentioning the number of cases, she said the divorce rate in 2005 was 13.5%, 14.6% in 2006, followed by 2007 (13%), 2008 (15.5%), 2009 (16%) and 2010 (15.8%).