Penang Sikh leader calls for probe after woman given Muslim burial

Surinder Kaur died after she was assaulted by her lover.

GEORGE TOWN: A Sikh community leader has disputed a claim by religious authorities in Penang that a Sikh woman died a Muslim, a day after she was allegedly attacked by her 55-year-old lover.

Naamjit Singh Munjit Singh from the Penang chapter of the Malaysian Sikh Youth Organisation said there was no concrete proof that K Surinder Kaur Bedi, 37, had converted to Islam, as claimed by her estranged family members.

Police reports indicate that Surinder succumbed yesterday to brain injuries sustained in an alleged assault by a man whom she had dated for the past six months.

The man, who claimed to be Surinder’s boyfriend, admitted to repeatedly hurling a helmet at her during a roadside argument on March 31.

Doctors told police she never regained consciousness after the incident.

Surinder was given a Muslim burial yesterday following a post-mortem at the Penang Hospital, according to Penang Islamic Department director Zulkifli Long.

Naamjit Singh Munjit Singh demands concrete proof of K Surinder Kaur Bedi’s conversion to Islam

“We respect the family’s wishes,” Zulkifli told FMT.

Zulkifli added however that Surinder’s name was not listed on the state’s converts register.

Earlier, Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor issued a letter confirming Surinder’s conversion based on a claim by her brother.

In the letter, he said Surinder’s brother informed him that his sister had recited the Islamic declaration of faith twice before him and her mother.

“Based on the explanation and without prejudice, my office then accepted it and issued a letter to state that Surinder had converted to Islam.”

But Naamjit said it was highly unlikely that Surinder had converted to Islam before her death.

“We want Surinder’s apparent conversion to be immediately investigated,” he said.

He added that a police report was lodged yesterday on the issue.

Surinder’s family members, including her parents and four siblings, are Muslims.

Law lecturer Shamsher Singh Thind questioned the extent to which Surinder’s utterance of the Islamic declaration of faith was acceptable, as doctors had said she suffered from brain damage and had only a “50-50” chance of survival.

Shamsher Singh Thind / Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.

“Even if she was conscious, was she able to understand what was happening?” said Shamsher.

He said under the Penang Islamic Administration Enactment 2004, a person could only convert to Islam if he or she was of “sound mind”.

Shamsher also expressed surprise that the Penang mufti had endorsed Surinder’s conversion.

“This case has set a dangerous precedent that a mufti can issue a legal document instructing the Penang Islamic Department to act on the supposition that a person is apparently a Muslim.

“Does the mufti have the power to convert someone? As far as we know, state Islamic laws dictate that only the Pendaftar Muallaf (Converts Registrar) can declare one’s status as a Muslim,” he said. - FMT