DAP national vice chairman and Ipoh Barat parliamentarian M Kula Segaran called on the nation’s legislators in Parliament to address the issue of problems resulting from conversions to Islam.

NONE A case in point is that of 35-year old Hindu mother of three, M Indira Gandhi, whose husband converted to Islam, and subsequently converted their three children before claiming custody over them at the Syariah court, said Kula Segaran ( right ).  

While Indira won custody of the children at the Ipoh High Court, the Syariah court granted her husband, K Pathmanathan @ Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, custody over the their two daughters and son.

Compounding the matter further is the fact that Riduan had filed an appeal and won a stay of execution of the High Court ruling.  

“It is the duty of Parliament to clarify and bring a finality and certainty on issues of conversions and custody of children,” Kula told a press conference at Perak DAP headquarters in Ipoh yesterday.

In particular, said Kula, the Marriage and Divorce Act 1976 must be reviewed to give spouses of converts equal say in the welfare and upbringing of the children.

As the parallel system of laws in the country has resulted in a legal limbo of sorts between the Syariah courts and the civil courts, too many children have been and will continue to be victimised by tussles between the two sets of laws, said Kula.

Unless, he added, the BN government, in particular, ceases dragging its feet on the matter.

“We urge the BN component parties to prevail on the government to legislate laws which will bring certainty to all Malaysians when a conversion to another faith takes place,” he said.

My children are my priority

Present at the same press conference, Indira said her priority is to secure custody over her three children.

indira gandhi children custody case 110310 ipoh high court Indira, who works as a kindergarten teacher, said a particular source of concern is the youngest, daughter Prasana Diksan, 2, who is currently with the father.

While the issue of divorce looms large over her head, said Indira ( left ), her first priority is ensuring all her children are with her.

“To me what is important now is to get legal custody of my three children and the divorce matter is only secondary,” said Indira.