Conversion Bill: DAP offers help to BN

DAP chairman Karpal Singh says DAP is willing to provide BN with the two thirds majority needed to end the row over unilateral conversion of minors.

KUALA LUMPUR: In a rare moment of unity, DAP chairman Karpal Singh today offered Barisan Nasional each DAP MP’s support to amend Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution which relates to the religious conversion of minors.

Article 12(4) of the Federal Constitution states: “…the religion of a person under the age of eighteen years shall be decided by his parent or guardian”.

The Bukit Gelugor MP suggested today that an amendment could be made whereby the word “parent” was followed with “deemed to be both parents if both parents are alive”.

The amendment, he argued, would bring an end to the row over the Administration of the Religion of Islam (Federal Territories) Bill 2013 which, if passed, could allow a sole parent to convert children below 18 to Islam.

“The DAP will, in the public interest, provide the necessary support. It has 38 members of Parliament, nearly thrice the number the BN needs to secure a two-thirds majority,” Karpal said at a press conference in the Parliament lobby today.

“In the interests of humanity, such an amendment should secure the support of all members of Parliament on either side of the divide.”

The veteran politician said that if the Constitution remained unchanged, it was unlikely that Parliament would be able to stop the Bill from being bulldozed through.

He noted a court ruling in 2004 and 2007 which stated that use of the singular word “parent” in the constitution referred to the consent of a single parent, and was enough to validate the conversion of a minor to Islam.

“The decision of the Federal Court, the highest court in the land, would appear to tie the hands of Parliament,” Karpal said.

“Such an amendment would remove, once and for all, any doubt as to the intention of the framers of the Constitution who must have had such an objective in mind in the inclusion of Article 12(4) in that sacred document,” he said.

The controversial Bill has received flak from the public, Cabinet members and BN and Pakatan leaders alike for being “unfair” and “detrimental” to non-Muslims.

Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin has acknowledged there were “issues” with the Bill, but defended it as a reflection of the current situation.

He said last Monday the government would take into consideration the public’s views and examine the Bill carefully before an announcement is made by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department in charge of Islamic Affairs Jamil Khir Baharom.