Any possible changes in the constitution will not affect the position of Islam administrated by the syariah court in this country, said Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.

Bernama quoted Najib as saying today that the government will study the constitution and listen to views from all quarters on the issue before making any decisions.

"The government will study the issue so that we can arrive at a decision which can satisfy all parties without jeopardising the position of Islam which is governed through the syariah court," he said.

Calls for an amendment in the constitution to protect non-Muslim religious rights have been overwhelming after the controversial burial of Mont Everest hero M. Moorthy Dec last year.

Moorthy's controversy

Moorthy was said to have embraced Islam. When he died, there was a tussle for his body between his widow S Kaliammal and Islamic religious authorities.

Kaliammal claimed that her husband was a practising Hindu, but the Syariah Court ruled that he was a Muslim and hence must be buried according to Islamic rites.

The deceased was buried by the religious authorities after Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that the court has no jurisdiction in reviewing the Syariah Court's decision.

The Cabinet had directed the Attorney General's chambers to study the existing laws and the constitution and to see whether there is a need for change or an explanation.

This includes whether existing laws do not provide room for the civil court to hear cases involving Islam or it is due to the reluctance of civil court judges to use their power.