Unilateral conversion 'not wrong but problematic'
Zikri KamarulzamanPublished: Jun 19, 2014 6:13 PM | Updated: Jun 20, 2014 12:07 AM
It is “not wrong” for a child to be converted by one parent without consent from the other, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
UPDATED 6.54PM
The DPM says this causes 'confusion' in multicultural Malaysia.
It is “not wrong” for a child to be converted by one parent without consent from the other, said Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin.
However, he conceded that it may be "problematic", especially in the context of a multicultural country like Malaysia.
“Malaysia has many different races and religions and some things need our attention to avoid problems or confusion.
“For example, if a husband changes the religion of his child without discussing it with his wife. This is not wrong, but it does have problematic consequences,” he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.
He was asked to comment on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom (left) statement to Parliament that it is legal for one parent to convert a child without consent of the other.
This contradicts a 2009 cabinet decision which bars unilateral conversions.
The Malaysian Bar has also ticked off Jamil Khir for wrongly-citing cases to support his "erronous" statement.
Follow the sultan
On a separate matter, Muhyiddin waded into the prolonged dispute over 321 copies of the Bible seized from Bible Society Malaysia by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) by echoing the ruler.
He said that all parties should follow the Selangor sultan's decree that Jais bring the matter of whether to return the bibles to court.
"That is the sultan's decree.
"According to the state enactment, Islamic affairs is under state jurisdiction and the sultan is the source of this power.
"So any advise or decree from the sultan of Selangor must be adhered to by the relevant parties be it the menteri besar or religious authorities," he said.
Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today told Jais to go to court to get an order on whether it should return the holy books seized from BSM in a raid last January.
This follows the attorney-general's announcement that the case is closed and no prosecution will be made.
Related stories
KJ: 'No unilateral conversion' policy stands
Jamil Khir 'erronous, unfortunate, regrettable'
In the constitution, 'parent' a collective noun
Hello, no such thing as unilateral conversion
However, he conceded that it may be "problematic", especially in the context of a multicultural country like Malaysia.
“Malaysia has many different races and religions and some things need our attention to avoid problems or confusion.
“For example, if a husband changes the religion of his child without discussing it with his wife. This is not wrong, but it does have problematic consequences,” he told reporters in Kuala Lumpur.He was asked to comment on Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Jamil Khir Baharom (left) statement to Parliament that it is legal for one parent to convert a child without consent of the other.
This contradicts a 2009 cabinet decision which bars unilateral conversions.
The Malaysian Bar has also ticked off Jamil Khir for wrongly-citing cases to support his "erronous" statement.
Follow the sultan
On a separate matter, Muhyiddin waded into the prolonged dispute over 321 copies of the Bible seized from Bible Society Malaysia by the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais) by echoing the ruler.
He said that all parties should follow the Selangor sultan's decree that Jais bring the matter of whether to return the bibles to court.
"That is the sultan's decree.
"According to the state enactment, Islamic affairs is under state jurisdiction and the sultan is the source of this power."So any advise or decree from the sultan of Selangor must be adhered to by the relevant parties be it the menteri besar or religious authorities," he said.
Selangor's Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah today told Jais to go to court to get an order on whether it should return the holy books seized from BSM in a raid last January.
This follows the attorney-general's announcement that the case is closed and no prosecution will be made.
Related stories
KJ: 'No unilateral conversion' policy stands
Jamil Khir 'erronous, unfortunate, regrettable'
In the constitution, 'parent' a collective noun
Hello, no such thing as unilateral conversion
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