A conservative Malaysian state is considering rewarding "good" Muslim men who declare their polygamous status and are able to take good care of their multiple households.

North east Kelantan state councillor Wan Ubaidah Omar said many men keep their polygamous marriages a secret from their existing wives, causing marital conflicts.

She said today that the state is looking at providing incentives to recognise "good" polygamous husbands who can be role models for others.

Muslim men in mainly Muslim Malaysia can have up to four wives at one time but need consent from their existing spouses.

Some husbands hold secret weddings elsewhere, causing problems when they return home with their additional wives.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.