A Sikh woman's conversion to Islam has been disputed by certain quarters after her brother allegedly claimed that she is a Muslim following her death on April 1 due to a head injury.
Surinder Kaur Bedi's conversion was purportedly confirmed by Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor (above) in a letter dated April 1.
Signed by Wan Salim, the letter confirmed that the 37-year-old woman was a Muslim, and her funeral should be conducted according to Muslim rites.
Wan Salim allegedly confirmed this after her brother, Imran Khan Mohamad Qurban Ali, also a Muslim convert, lodged a police report on the matter.
When contacted, Wan Salim confirmed issuing the letter, and said he did so after the brother came to visit his office with a police report.
"We issued the letter with good intentions so that her funeral can be conducted properly by the family," Wan Salim told Malaysiakini.
"We usually do not do this unless the family comes and see us personally. We have spoken to the family and found the case to be genuine."
However, Penang Deputy Chief Minister II P Ramasamy (photo) claimed that the conversion was decided on the basis of "two dubious sources" - the testimony of a third party and police report.
"Now if these kind of evidence are going to be used to determine the religious status of a person, then real or hard pieces of evidence are not necessary," Ramasamy told Malaysiakini.
"What is the use of a police report without the necessary investigation? The person who succumbed to her injury could very well be Muslim, but what evidence is there to prove it? Is there a conversion certificate from the respective authority or whether she has a Muslim name in her identity card?
"Chances are she could be a non-Muslim and perhaps she never converted even if her parents have done so, " he stressed.
According to a New Straits Times report yesterday, Northeast district police chief Assistant Commissioner Che Zaimani Che Awan said Surinder was attacked near Persiaran Bayan Indah at about 11.50pm on Saturday.
A witness had spotted an allegedly drunk man hurling a motorcycle helmet at Surinder Kaur, Zaimani said.
He added that the 55-year-old suspect has been detained, and appeared drunk when arrested.
The case is being probed under Section 302 of the Penal Code for murder, and the suspect has been remanded for seven days until April 6. - Mkini
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