Pointing out that the Federal Constitution protected the sanctity and unity of the family, he said it was important that the rights of both parents be protected.
“Look at it from the perspective of love, from the perspective of family, from the perspective of the children. If not, it is breaking apart families,” he said, adding that it was wrong to tear children away from their parents as had happened in several cases in Malaysia when one parent converted a child or children without the knowledge or consent of the other.
“Parents should have equal rights to their children. Let them have the right to decide.
“We stand with the rights of the family, both father and mother. Not unilaterally,” he said, adding that since the unilateral conversion of children was a complex issue, people must tread carefully.
Lim was commenting on PAS’ support for the unilateral conversion of minors by a single parent.
The amendment to the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) (Amendment) Act 2016 was supposed to be debated at this parliamentary sitting. The bill was intended to resolve conflicts arising from interfaith custody battles between Muslim and non-Muslim parents.
A new provision in the law under Section 88A(1) states that if a parent converts to Islam, the religion of the children should remain the same unless both parents have agreed to the conversion of their children.
However, the bill was withdrawn after the government said Section 88A(1) went against the spirit of the Federal Constitution.
However, former law minister Zaid Ibrahim today pointed out that if the new law had been passed in Parliament, it would have overridden any decision the Federal Court had previously made in the matter.
In his blog post today, he also hit out at Barisan Nasional component parties MIC and MCA for not defending the clause in question, Clause 88.
Zaid said the law in not permitting unilateral conversion was meant to recognise that each parent had equal say in the upbringing of their child.
Unilateral conversion bill: What’s the constitutional issue, asks Zaid
Hindraf: Explanations by ministers on unilateral conversion a charade