NGOs oppose bid to amend state Islamic law

The High Court's decision in M. Indira Ghandi's case does not cancel out the Syariah Court's decision that the Muslim father's custodial rights over his children were valid, said Mapim

SUNGAI PETANI: Seven Islamic non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Kedah have expressed their opposition to the push by the country’s largest non-Muslim interfaith group for five states to amend their laws, which currently allow parents to unilaterally decide on the conversion of their children below the age of 18.

The interfaith group involved is the Malaysian Consultative Council for Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism (MCCBCHST).

President of the Malaysia Islamic Organisations Consultative Legal Council (Mapim), Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid said MCCBCHST president Jagir Singh wanted the five states, namely Kedah, Perak, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan and Sarawak to amend their laws so as to be in tune with the Federal Constitution.

“We wish to stress here that the states’ Islamic laws will not be allowed to be amended as demanded by the followers of other religions.

“In fact, Islamic laws will not be subjected to such demands.

“The council’s (MCCBCHST) views should not be entertained as it is interfering in the administration of Islamic law, and challenging the states’ authorities which have jurisdiction over Islamic matters as well as as the power of the Malay rulers as heads of the Islamic religion in the respective states,” he told a press conference at the Mapim office, here, yesterday.

Also present were representatives of Teras Pengupayaan Melayu (Teras), Kedah Religious School Affairs Organisation (Hesa), Malaysia Islamic Youth Movement (Abim) Kedah, Persatuan Persaudaraan Muslimah Malaysia (Salimah), Pusat Santuni Rakyat (PSR) Kedah and Pertubuhan Darul Mustafa Kedah.

Mohd Azmi said the MCCBCHST’ action was seen as trying to provoke the religious sensitivities of Muslims in the country by using the media to openly voice their erroneous views on the matter.

“The High Court’s decision in M. Indira Ghandi’s case does not cancel out the Syariah Court’s decision that the Muslim father’s custodial rights over his children were valid,” he said.

He said Mapim and the other concerned NGOs therefore urged the five state governments not to bow to pressure from any quarters including the MCCBCHST which wanted the states’ existing religious enactments be amended over the issue.

-Bernama