“The bill was opposed by PAS and some Muslim groups, and this about-turn by the BN government is seen to be a political decision taken in the fear of the loss of support by the Muslims,” the Ba’ Kelalan state assemblyman said.
“This change of mind by the BN government shows that the prime minister and his BN ministers are driven by the fear of losing the GE14, and place no importance on protecting the rights of all citizens to freedom of religion and equal rights,” he added in a statement today.
He asked if MCA, MIC, Gerakan and other BN component parties in Sarawak and Sabah were consulted about the withdrawal.
“How can they in good conscience continue to support and prop up this government that has shown no respect and regards for the rights of people of other races and religions?” he said, demanding to know their response on the matter.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Azalina Othman Said said at the beginning of the Dewan Rakyat sitting yesterday that the bill, which was presented in November last year, was being retracted.
It aimed to resolve conflicts arising from interfaith custody battles between Muslim and non-Muslim parents.
It followed several cases of custody battles that went to the courts when one spouse converted the child without the consent of the other, causing trauma for all parties, especially young children.
The amendments included a new provision with regards to the religion of the child, with Section 88A(1) stating that if a parent converts to Islam, the religion of the children remains the same unless both parents agree to the conversion of their children.
Putrajaya is expected to table fresh amendments to the bill without Clause 88A.
Baru said non-Muslim parents faced the prospect of unilateral conversions of minor children, as had happened in the case of Indira Gandhi in 2007 when her husband K Pathmanathan converted to Islam (changing his name to Muhammad Riduan Abdullah) and then also converted their three under-aged children without her presence or consent.
“There had been hope at the end of a dark tunnel for many that this bill would see an end to the unilateral conversion of minor children of other faiths to Islam, but true to BN practice, there has been yet another major flip-flop on this bill,” he said.
Baru also said Umno Tourism and Culture Minister Nazri Aziz had said in Sept last year that the bill would bring the issue in line with the cabinet’s decision in April 2009 to require both parents’ consent for the conversion of a child under the age of 18.
Nazri had also said in 2009 when he was minister in the prime minister’s department that the cabinet had decided that in the event of any dispute, a child must be raised in the common faith professed by both parents at the time of marriage, Baru added.
Kula: Political will still lacking on issue of child conversion