FAR EAST CORRESPONDENT — Complications arising from overlapping state laws with religion are never-ending, particularly with Islam. Much of Borneo and the former British colonies on the island were Christian before what is now the state of Sabah and Sarawak (aka East Malaysia) entered a federation with Muslim Malaysia.

As Malaysia evolved so did internal migration and cross-culture absurdities inevitably came about. This reality was highlighted this week by a case involving a Muslim man who raped a 12-year-old girl and was able to obtain permission to marry her under Sharia law – avoiding prosecution in the process.

Read more from Luke Hunt in The Diplomat.