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Friday, August 24, 2012

Cremated woman was Muslim, says Abdul Malik



The family of an Indian woman whose cremated remains have been seized by the South Seberang Perai (SPS) Religious Department on Aug 14 may not be able to conduct her final funeral rites according to the Hindu religion as she converted to Islam after all.
This came after it was revealed the SPS Religious Department has found records of 64-year-old M Nagamah’s conversion to Islam in November 2006.
Officers from the department have lodged a police report last Sunday as they claimed the family of the deceased, whose Muslim name is Maria Abdullah, had refused to allow the officers to claim her remains from the Batu Berapit crematorium.
NONEState executive councillor for Islamic affairs Abdul Malik Abul Kassim said the report had been lodged on the same day Maria @ Nagamah’s son from her first Hindu marriage, M Kamasanthren and 17 others lodged theirs against the Penang Islamic Affairs Department (JAIPP) at the Nibong Tebal police station for “stealing” the cremated remains.
According to Abdul Malik, Nagamah had converted at the SPS Religious Department, adding that it was Ustaz Anuar Ismail who carried out her conversion.
"Her family is aware of her religious status and her husband is a Muslim. The issue of her being a Muslim does not arise," Abdul Malik, who is PKR Batu Maung assemblyperson, said.
"Therefore, I leave it to the authorities to investigate the matter,"he added.
Deceased married a Muslim
NONEAbdul Malik (right) , who is also state PKR vice-chairperson, said Nagamah had married Ibrahim Noyan, with whom she had nine children, all of whom have Muslim names.
He said he had obtained his information from JAIPP and the Mufti’s office.
When Nagamah, from Bryam estate, passed away, her remains were brought home from the Sungai Bakap hospital on Aug 14.
According to the family, they had prepared to give her a Hindu funeral as she lived a life as a Hindu and died a Hindu.
The rite known as ‘Karumakirei’ ceremony is to be held 14 days after the death on Aug 28 - after which her ashes are to be strewn into a nearby river.
In an immediate response, Hindraf national adviser N Ganesan who spoke on behalf of Nagamah's family said the issue involved Kamasanthren's right and duty as a Hindu to conduct final funeral rites for his deceased mother.
Ganesan said the Hindu religion does not state that Kamasanthren cannot conduct the rite if the mother is a Muslim but that he has the obligation to carry out his duties as a son, regardless of the religion she professed when she was alive.
What of eldest son's rights?
Ganesan explained that the family was not arguing about the conversion due to circumstances surrounding the life of the deceased, which happened without the knowledge of her family from her first marriage.
"The issue here is not whether she is a Muslim or not but whether he (Kamasanthren) has his rights as a Hindu and as a son, and who has the authority to settle this dispute?" Ganesan asked.
"Her oldest son – from her first marriage - has the right to practise his religion and he is required to perform the final rites for his mother.
“Now her cremated remains is considered stolen. The issue here is does he – as a Hindu – have any rights at all?” he questioned.
He criticised Abdul Malik for attempting to cover up the issue by leaving it to the authorities to settle.
He added that such cases were a matter, not for the religious departments, but for the courts to decide, asking “which one would it be – civil or syariah court?”

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