IT’S CASES LIKE THESE THAT MADE THE NON-MALAYS HATE & DISRESPECT YOUR REGIME NAJIB: IN THE END, COURT DID WHAT PARLIAMENT, CABINET WERE AFRAID TO DO – BAN UNILATERAL CONVERSION OF MINORS

Ipoh Barat MP M Kulasegaran describes today’s landmark Federal Court on unilateral conversion decision as fantastic, adding the court did what Parliament did not have the backbone to do in amending to the Law Reform Act 1976.

After nine years of “battle”, Kulasegaran said it is the judiciary who stepped up to the plate in resolving the dispute on unilateral conversion of children.

In its decision this morning, the apex court ruled that the religious conversion of children would require the consent of both parents, thus bringing to end the long-running tussle between M Indira Gandhi and her convert husband Ridhuan Abdullah who had converted their children to Islam.

“It cannot be one person or spouse to determine the religion of a child. I have a lot of reservations when Parliament did not have the backbone and (the government) did not introduce the legislation to the amendment of the Law Reform Act as was discussed since 2009.

“Finally and surprisingly, the Federal Court gave a decision today which the elected representatives of this country had failed to give. Najib had promised to review the Act but stopped short of providing the right amendment saying he needs a two-thirds majority (in Parliament).

Kulasegaran asked who advised Najib on the two-thirds majority rule, saying it was a political ploy by Najib to win the hearts and minds of the Malays while saying something else to the non-Malay ground.

Commenting on today’s decision, the Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) described it as “a huge victory”.

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“Today’s landmark decision by the Federal Court on Indira Gandhi’s case is a huge victory for all Malaysians. It affirms that both parents have equal right to decide on their child’s religion,” said Sumitra Visvanathan, WAO’s executive director.

“Unilateral conversion is a grave violation of women’s rights and has led to more grievous violations, including child abduction.

“The police must reunite Indira with her youngest child, Prasana Diksa, whom the ex-husband abducted in 2009 and refused to return, in contempt of court,” she said.

– M’kini