Phone addiction driving divorce among elderly Malaysian couples
Wives say husbands ignore them for phones, leaving them lonely and disconnected
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (MNTV) – More elderly Malaysian couples are ending their marriages due to phone and social media addiction.
Marriage counsellor Hushim Salleh says half of the older couples he sees in Selangor end up divorcing—many because of husbands glued to their phone, reports the New Straits Times.
“In 90 percent of these cases, it’s the wife who asks for a divorce,” he told This Week in Asia.
“Their husbands just sit with their phones all day. The wives feel lonely and ignored.”
Hushim, with over 35 years of experience, says he sees up to five such cases a month.
He added that many couples barely speak, with some husbands only talking to ask for food or coffee.
Often, spouses sleep in separate rooms and eat apart.
“There’s no more affection—no loving words, no touch. So what’s the point of staying married?” he said.
In 2023, Malaysia recorded over 57,800 divorce cases.
The median age for divorce was 38 for men and 35 for women.
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