Is this another case of unilateral conversion?

 

Loh Siew Hong, separated from her children three years ago, has filed a police report seeking their return.

From P Ramasamy

A divorced mother, Loh Siew Hong, 34, lodged a police report in Kepala Batas, Penang, yesterday saying that the religious authorities in Perlis were keeping her three children without her permission.

She received information from a person that her three children, twin girls aged 14 and a boy aged 10, were in the care of the state religious authorities.

The children were in the care of her husband and his mother while she was in a shelter home recovering from alleged abuse.

Subsequently, she came out of the home, obtained her divorce from her husband and began looking for her children.

When she contacted her former husband’s mother, the whereabouts of the children were not divulged.

Later, someone called her to inform that her children were in the care of the religious authorities in Perlis.

Since her children are Hindus, Loh does not rule out the possibility that her husband might have converted them to Islam before placing them under the care of the Islamic religious authorities in Perlis.

This seems to be a repeat of what had happened to the children of M Indira Gandhi after she divorced her husband who had converted to Islam.

If Loh’s children were abducted, converted to Islam and placed under the care of the religious authorities in Perlis, this is nothing short of kidnapping.

And it’s a blatant disregard of the law by the Islamic religious authorities in Perlis.

If the above is true, police must investigate and take action against the religious authorities in Perlis.

Conversion of minors without the consent of both parents is against the law.

It is not clear whether or not the children were unilaterally converted.

It is for the police to ascertain the truth and they cannot push the matter to the religious authorities in Perlis.

Indira’s case is still vivid in our memory.

The Federal Court struck down the case of unilateral conversion by deciding in favour of Indira. Locating the child, who was virtually kidnapped by her divorced husband, however still remains elusive.

In the case of Loh, the religious authorities in Perlis have overstepped their role by taking control of the lives of the three children who might have been converted.

The police in Sebarang Perai Utara should not give Loh the runaround.

Before the police report was lodged with the assistance provided by DAP assemblyman Satees Muniandy and Seberang Perai City Council (MBSP) councillor David Marshel, police told Loh to contact the religious authorities in Perlis.

Isn’t this a case of dereliction of duty by the police, who should have received the report to determine whether her children were taken away unlawfully.

If the children were kidnapped or abducted, police should act.

Who are the police protecting in this matter?

I was informed that Loh has hired a lawyer, who is about to file a habeas corpus application to seek the release of the children to be placed under the lawful custody of their mother. - FMT

P Ramasamy is a Penang deputy chief minister.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.