Conversion bill: Selangor MB told to give 'full briefing' to Harapan leaders

The PKR political bureau has told Selangor Menteri Besar Amirudin Shari to provide a “full briefing” and hold “discussions that are more in-depth” regarding the debacle over the state government's failed unilateral religious conversion bill.

The briefing and discussions are to be held at the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting on Friday.

This followed a PKR political bureau meeting today, according to PKR communications director Fahmi Fadzil, which Amirudin had attended in order to provide a briefing regarding the proposed amendment to the Islamic Administration Enactment.

“The political bureau has urged the menteri besar to provide a full briefing and hold discussions that are more in-depth on this issue during the Pakatan Harapan presidential council meeting on Friday,” Fahmi said in a statement tonight.

The meeting today was chaired by PKR president Anwar Ibrahim.

The proposed amendment to the Islamic Administration Enactment was supposed to have been tabled at the Selangor state assembly’s most recent sitting.

The enactment stipulates that those below 18 must obtain the consent of his or her “mother and father” before converting to Islam. The proposed amendment would change this to “mother or father”.

The amendment hit a brick wall when Selangor Speaker Ng Suee Lim cut short the assembly’s sitting by ending it on July 31.

The sitting was originally supposed to be held from July 29 to Aug 9.

Sources also told Malaysiakini that Ng had refused to sign a document that would prioritise state government bills, thereby halting plans to table the amendment.

A plot also purportedly emerged to take advantage of the row between Amirudin and Ng to depose the former.

According to a source, the move against the Selangor menteri besar was primarily due to the management of Selangor's welfare programmes dubbed Inisiatif Peduli Rakyat.

However, the plan was said to have fizzled out as the controversy over the unilateral religious conversion bill came to a close.

Ng has denied that the move to cut short the assembly’s sitting was related to the bill in question. 

Amirudin said that the Selangor sultan is reviewing the proposed amendment.

Meanwhile, Fahmi said the Selangor menteri besar has also briefed the political bureau regarding Inisiatif Peduli Rakyat.

“The political bureau is of the view that these programmes need to be continuously improved to ensure the B40 target group is always the priority, in addition to ensuring sustainable funding for the programmes,” he said. - Mkini